IN 
BUNCOMBE 

JNTY 


MARIA 
ISE 
POOL 


UNIVERSITY  r 

DAVIS 


In 

Buncombe  County 

By 

Maria  Louise  Pool 


Chicago 

Herbert  S.  Stone  £s?  Company 
1896 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA' 
DAVIS 


COPYRIGHT      1896     BY 
HERBERT  S.    STONE  &  CO. 


In  Buncombe  County 


CHAPTER   I 

Waiting  for  Alick 

WE   were  waiting  for  a  boy; 
at  least,  we  had  been  led 
to  believe  it  was  for  that 
reason  we  were  sitting  so  long  before  an 
open  fire  in  the  back  part  of  one  of  the 
grocery  stores  in  Asheville  Junction,  North 
Carolina.     We  had  arrived  in  the  early 
morning   from   Spartanburg.       It  already 
began  to  seem  as  if  it  were  several  morn- 
ings  ago  when  we   had   stepped  on  the 
deserted  platform.      We  knew  it  must  be 
the  Swannanoa  which  was  brawling  along 
just  the  other  side  of  the  dismal  structure 
said  to  be  a  boarding-house.      But  it  was 
i 


2     IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

nothing  to  us,  though  it  were  ten  times 
the  Swannanoa.  It  is  one  of  the  draw- 
backs of  travel  that,  when  you  have  gone 
hundreds  of  miles  to  look  at  some  fine 
scenery,  you  are  in  such  a  state  physically 
that  you  do  not  care  whether  you  look 
at  the  scenery  or  not. 

While  we  had  stood  dejectedly  on  the 
platform  in  the  dusk,  the  conductor  had 
taken  pity  on  us,  and,  as  the  train  moved 
on,  he  had  swung  "forward  from  the  steps 
and  shouted  to  us  to  go  to  the  store  and 
see  what  we  could  do. 

"I  suppose,"  said  Amabel,  "that  the 
conductor  meant  well ;  still,  what  do  you 
think  he  thought  we  could  do  at  the 
store  ?  What  do  you  advise  that  we 
should  try  to  do  there  ?  I  don't  feel,  just 
at  present,  as  if  there  were  any  employ- 
ment suitable  for  me  in  a  North  Carolina 
grocery-store. " 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY     3 

Of  course,  there  were  no  friends  to 
meet  us.  We  were  alone  on  the  plat- 
form,—  alone,  save  that  we  seemed  to  be 
eternally  accompanied  by  the  heaviest 
kind  of  satchels.  We  also  had  a  redbird, 
which  Amabel  was  bringing  up  from 
Florida  to  the  friend  to  whom  we  were 
now  going.  So  powerful  is  the  effect  of 
the  mind  upon  the  body,  that  we  would 
unhesitatingly  have  affirmed  that  we  had 
been  travelling  without  pause  with  a  red- 
bird  in  a  cage  for  several  weeks.  If  we 
had  not  had  so  many  satchels  we  might 
have  done  very  well  with  the  cage  ;  or  if 
we  had  not  had  the  cage  we  might  have 
been  more  comfortable  with  the  satchels. 
But  we  had  all,  and  I  am  sure  that  we 
had  never  quelled  so  much  profanity  in  an 
equal  number  of  hours  as  we  quelled  in 
the  hours  that  had  elapsed  since  we  left 
Jacksonville. 


4     IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

I  said  there  were  no  friends  to  meet  us, 
for  they  must  by  this  time  be  quite  be- 
wildered as  to  the  hour  of  our  arrival. 
We  had  come  by  way  of  Atlanta,  and 
when  we  reached  that  city  it  was  told  to 
us  that  the  train  from  Florida,  in  which 
we  had  just  arrived,  had  been  known  to 
connect  with  the  North-going  express,  as 
it  was  advertised  to  do,  but  that  such 
occasions  were  very  rare  indeed.  Two 
or  three  men,  who  had  been  on  the  same 
car  with  us,  and  who  had  thus  missed 
business  appointments,  swore  refreshingly 
and  uttered  dreadful  threats  against  the 
corporation.  Like  that  sanguinary  crea- 
ture of  old  who  wished  that  the  inhabitants 
of  a  certain  part  of  the  world  had  but  one 
neck,  that  he  might  sever  it  at  a  blow,  so 
these  gentlemen  wished  about  the  corpor- 
ation. We  could  not  openly  join  in  this 
bloodthirsty  desire,  but  I  think  our  silent 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY     5 

wishes  were  as  powerful  as  the  loudly- 
expressed  invectives. 

No,  there  was  no  one  to  meet  us,  for 
we  had  been  expected  twelve  hours  ago. 
We  could  not  blame  the  most  loyal  of 
friends  for  not  standing  twelve  hours  on 
the  platform  where  we  shivered.  No  one 
but  a  lover  would  have  been  devoted 
enough  for  such  waiting. 

After  some  consultation,  not  a  human 
being  in  sight,  we  obeyed  the  conductor's 
suggestion.  We  stumbled  along  with 
our  heavy  bags  and  our  bird-cage,  seeing 
that  the  mountains  were  round  about  us 
and  asking  ourselves  if  we  should  ever 
have  the  slightest  feeling  for  them.  I  am 
tempted  to  advise  any  one  who  wishes  to 
preserve  intact  the  sensitive  admiration 
for  scenery  not  to  travel  with  a  redbird  in 
a  cage.  The  effect  of  such  a  combination 
is  stultifying.  You  don't  care  for  the 


6     IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

most  wonderful  effect  of  mountain  and 
valley;  you  can't  get  your  mind  from  the 
bird  and  the  cage  ;  and,  what  is  far  worse, 
after  a  short  time  you  cease  to  wish  you 
could  admire  something.  You  sink  down 
to  an  abnormal  level,  like  the  woman  in 
"  Locksley  Hall. ' '  If  you  are  in  a  crowd, 
as  one  so  often  is  when  travelling,  you 
have  to  fight  madly  in  order  to  main- 
tain room  for  the  cage.  Men  and  women 
who  have  no  bird-cages,  and  who  jostle  up 
against  you,  look  at  you  so  savagely  that 
you  feel  like  an  outcast,  and  wish  for 
a  desert  that  should  be  large  enough  for 
self  and  cage.  I  have  travelled  with  a 
puppy  and  I  have  travelled  with  a  bird, 
and  I  infinitely  prefer  the  puppy. 

The  storekeeper  was  sandy  and  bland, 
and  was  sprinkling  the  floor  preparatory 
to  sweeping.  He  smiled  cordially,  and 
led  us  to  the  rear  of  hogsheads  of  molasses 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY     7 

and  piles  of  calico  and  seated  us  before  a 
fire,  to  which  directly  came  a  half-grown 
negro  and  leaned  up  against  the  wall  on 
the  other  side  of  the  fireplace. 

Within  ten  minutes  the  negro  had 
almost  fallen  into  the  fire  for  the  second 
time.  Each  time,  in  staggering  up  to  his 
feet,  he  had  scattered  the  coals  all  about 
the  hearth.  He  had  stared  at  us  with 
such  a  dull  persistence  that  he  had  fallen 
asleep.  We  were  not  used  to  seeing 
a  negro  sleep  standing,  and  it  seemed  to 
us  a  very  dangerous  thing  to  indulge  in 
erect  somnolence  so  very  near  such  a  large 
fire,  but  nobody  did  anything  about  it, 
save  to  laugh.  Each  time  the  darkey 
sheepishly  gathered  himself  up,  grinned 
round  in  a  general  way,  then  went  to  sleep 
again. 

It  was  at  this  time  that  we  began  to 
wait  for  the  boy. 


8     IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

The  storekeeper  went  immediately 
through  a  back  way.  He  soon  returned, 
saying  he  had  sent  for  a  boy  named  Alick, 
who  had  quite  a  good  horse  and  a  very 
good  surrey,  and  this  boy  would  take  us 
out  to  our  friend's  house,  which  was  not 
more  than  two  miles  away.  He  further 
informed  us  that  they  'most  always  gave 
such  odd  jobs  to  Alick,  because  his  father 
had  broken  his  leg,  and  because  he  had 
quite  a  good  horse  and  a  very  good  surrey. 
He  'd  be  'round  right  soon,  and  we  could 
set  and  rest  ourselves  until  he  came.  The 
storekeeper  reckoned  we  must  be  tired, 
and  he  said  we  were  welcome  to  set 
there's  long's  we  wished.  He  went 
further,  and  hinted  that  he  liked  to  have 
us  there. 

As  the  boy  was  coming  so  soon,  we 
tried  not  to  remember  how  faint  we  were; 
and  it  seemed  hardly  worth  while  to  go 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY     9 

over  to  that  boarding-house  which  stood 
on  the  banks  of  the  Swannanoa  and  get 
some  breakfast. 

Being  where  we  were,  the  storekeeper 
conceived  that  it  was  his  duty  to  enter- 
tain us.  He  gave  a  full  and  careful  his- 
tory of  two  hunting  dogs  he  had  lately 
owned.  One  had  been  accidentally  shot 
by  a  very  honorable  young  man,  who, 
though  he  might  have  hidden  his  part  in 
the  accident  foreverlastin'ly,  yet  came 
forward  and  told  what  he  had  done,  an* 
handed  out  a  $5  bill  on  the  spot.  The 
narrator  called  that  mighty  square.  The 
squareness  and  the  honorableness  had  made 
a  great  impression.  He  talked  fully  half  an 
hour  on  the  subject.  At  the  end  he  said: 

"This  feller  was  the  dog,"  as  a  fine 
pointer  came  sauntering  up  to  our  group. 

"  He  is  n't  dead,  then  ?  "  I  exclaimed, 
in  great  surprise. 


io  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Law,  no.  He  was  only  wownded. 
Jim,  can't  yer  wake  up  now,  an*  see  ef 
Alick'  sin  sight  ?" 

The  negro  went  laboriously  to  the 
door,  and  soon  came  back  in  the  same 
way  to  announce  that  the  road  was  as 
bare  as  the  back  of  his  hand.  I  involun- 
tarily looked  at  the  back  of  his  hand,  to 
see  how  bare  the  highway  really  was. 
Then  I  knew  that  Alick  could  not  be 
visible  from  that  door. 

An  hour  passed  on.  The  darkey  woke 
again,  and  this  time  in  his  struggles  not 
to  fall  face  downward  into  the  fire  he  sent 
a  large,  red-hot  coal  on  to  a  fold  of 
Amabel's  skirt,  which  began  to  smoke 
ominously. 

When  the  little  excitement  concerning 
this  incident  was  over,  the  storekeeper, 
who  had  been  selling  some  bacon,  came 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   n 

back  to  tell  us  that  it  was  not  possible  for 
the  boy  to  be  much  longer,  as  he  only 
lived  a  piece  urp  to  the  east.  As  his 
father  had  a  broken  leg  they  almost  always 
gave  him  these  odd  jobs. 

We  were  now  so  hungry  and  exhausted 
that  we  said  we  would  go  over  to  the 
place  they  called  a  boarding-house,  and 
see  if  we  could  get  some  breakfast.  Be- 
fore going,  we  begged  the  man  to  keep  the 
boy  whose  father  had  a  broken  leg,  and 
who  had  quite  a  good  horse  and  a  very 
good  surrey,  until  we  came  back,  in  case 
he  should  arrive  during  our  absence.  He 
faithfully  promised  to  do  so,  and  we 
departed. 

We  were  so  late  for  breakfast  that  the 
fried  chicken  and  fried  beef  were  firmly 
imbedded  in  the  cold  lard  in  which  they 
had  been  cooked.  I  do  not  mean  that 
the  fat  was  cold  during  the  process  of 


12  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

cooking,  but  it  was  now.  I  never  was 
"  fond  "  of  cold  lard,  either  as  a  food  or 
for  any  purpose  whatsoever.  I  had  apple- 
butter  and  saleratus  biscuit  for  my  repast. 
I  know  they  were  saleratus  biscuit  because 
frequent  yellow  lumps  appealed  both  to 
the  eye  and  palate.  But  I  am  not  com- 
plaining. I  knew  that  the  apple-butter 
would  not  hurt  me,  and  I  was  just  as 
sure  that,  at  one  meal,  I  could  not  eat 
enough  sal-soda  to  destroy  the  coats  of  my 
stomach. 

Amabel  reproved  me  for  not  drinking 
the  coffee.  She  said  the  imbibing  it  had 
given  her  a  new  sensation,  and  she  thought 
it  would  have  had  the  same  effect  upon 
me.  I  did  not  ask  her  to  explain  her 
ambiguous  remark.  I  had  seen  and 
smelled  the  beverage,  and  to  see  and 
to  smell  was  enough. 

The  girl  who  shoved  the  things  at  us 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   13 

while  we  were  at  the  breakfast  table,  and 
pressed  us  to  eat,  informed  us  that  Mr. 
Ayer's  house,  where  we  hoped  to  go, 
was  a  "  mighty  long  four  miles,  ef  it  war 
a  rod,"  and  she  asked  if  "  we  war  a 
reckonin'  ter  be  took  'long  by  Alick." 

We  said  we  had  been  reckoning  so  for 
some  hours.  She  nodded  and  remarked 
that  "they  gen'ly  give  such  jobs  ter 
Alick,  'cause  his  father  had  broke  his 

leg." 

To  this  Amabel  made  response  that, 
if  having  a  father  with  a  broken  leg  were 
Alick' s  chief  recommendation,  she  almost 
wished  we  were  waiting  for  another  boy. 
"However,"  she  concluded,  "  I  don't 
suppose  it  makes  the  least  difference  what 
kind  of  a  boy  we  have,  so  long  as  we 
don't  really  have  him." 

The  boarding-house  was  not  ornate. 
It  had  very  rough  floors,  but  it  was.  a 


14  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

plank  house  and  was  two-storied.  The 
sitting-room  was  also  a  bedroom,  to  the 
extent  of  having  three  beds  in  it.  Our 
visit  was  so  early  that  these  beds  were 
still  dishevelled.  It  had  an  open  fire,  and 
we  sat  by  it  while  they  warmed  over  the 
coffee  before  we  went  to  the  table.  There 
was  a  great  dejection  and  dinginess  to  our 
eyes  about  everything,  but  there  was  a 
certain  heartiness  and  kindliness  in  the 
greeting  we  had  from  the  people. 

When  we  went  out-of-doors  after  our 
meal  we  found  that  the  heir  of  the  board- 
ing-house, together  with  a  young  and  frisky 
red  setter,  was  preparing  to  launch  a 
small  raft  on  the  bosom  of  the  Swannanoa. 
The  boy  said  that  he  had  just  been  across 
the  road  to  the  store,  and  that  Alick  had  not 
come  yet.  He  furthermore  confided  to 
us  his  conviction  that  Alick  was  so  lazy 
he  "  could  n't  but  jest  eat  his  victuals,  an* 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  15 

ef  his  father  had  n't  broke  his  leg  he 
reckoned  there  would  n't  be  no  jobs  for 
him." 

After  having  said  this,  the  boy  devoted 
himself  to  pushing  off  his  raft,  and  we 
watched  him.  There  was  an  intense 
interval  of  silence.  The  craft  was  taken 
into  the  current  of  the  stream  and  was 
moving  on  bravely  when  the  setter  ran 
along  the  bank  and  leaped  on  to  the  raft, 
upsetting  it  and  himself.  Amid  the  shout- 
ing and  running  that  followed,  we  gazed 
down  the  river  under  its  archway  of  meet- 
ing trees.  This  is  a  stream  which  has  a 
name  so  beautiful  that  it  is  much  to  say 
that  it  lives  up  to  its  name.  The  river, 
even  here,  is  loveliness  itself.  But  we  could 
not  linger  on  its  shores.  We  went  slowly 
back  to  the  store  and  to  our  redbird. 
The  proprietor  was  still  cheerful,  and  he 
was  wondering  greatly  why  Alick  had 


16  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

not  come.  He  said  he  had  waked  the 
black  boy  again  and  sent  him  to  see  what 
was  the  matter.  Amabel  suggested  that 
perhaps  Alick  had  broken  his  own  leg,  or 
perhaps  the  horse  had  broken  its  leg. 
This  kind  of  accident  might  be  epidemic 
in  Asheville  now. 

The  man  laughed  a  little  and  reckoned 
not.  He  allowed  himself  to  say  that 
Alick  was  kind  er  slow  motioned,  but  he 
had  never  known  him  so  long  as  this  be- 
fore. He  "  reckoned  the  darkey  would 
rouse  him  urp  a  bit." 

We  had  learned  that  there  was  no 
other  conveyance  to  be  obtained,  and  we 
must  submit. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    17 

CHAPTER    II 

More  Waiting  for  Alick 

A  FEW  customers  loitered  in  as 
the   forenoon   wore    on,   and 
somebody  came  to  inquire  for 
a  letter  (for  here  is  the  post-office),  named 
Best. 

We  were  left  much  to  ourselves,  and  I 
went  to  sleep  in  my  chair  and  dreamed 
that  I  fell  from  my  seat  directly  across 
the  andirons,  like  a  forestick.  When  I 
awoke  I  forgave  the  negro  for  having 
gone  to  sleep  standing.  The  redbird 
fluttered  a  good  deal,  and  once,  when 
we  were  not  looking,  a  cat  tipped  over 
the  cage,  the  door  flew  open  and  the 
bird  flew  out.  Our  host  was  prompt  in 
2 


i8  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

his  action.  He  was  standing  by  the 
outer  door  and  he  banged  it  shut,  after 
having  first  dexterously  kicked  the  cat 
out  of  it.  Then  we  all  set  to  work  to 
catch  the  bird.  But  this  is  one  of  the 
feats  of  human  intelligence  and  agility 
which  cannot  be  described.  We  caught 
the  bird  after  half-an-hour,  during  which 
time  all  customers  were  barred  from  the 
store,  and  all  persons  prevented  from 
inquiring  for  letters  at  the  post-office. 
Naturally  we  made  a  good  deal  of  noise 
in  our  rushes  here  and  there  in  the  room, 
and  we  knocked  down  a  great  many 
things,  some  of  which  would  bear  knock- 
ing down,  as  rolls  of  jean,  and  some 
would  not  bear  it,  as  piles  of  coarse 
crockery  and  several  lamps.  We  must 
have  made  strange  sounds,  and  these 
sounds,  together  with  the  fact  of  the 
door's  being  bolted,  very  reasonably  at- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   19 

tracted  anybody,  white  or  black,  who 
was  anywhere  in  the  vicinity.  As  I 
was  darting  round  the  place  in  pursuit 
I  became  irritatingly  conscious  that  a 
number  of  boys  and  three  grown  men 
were  holding  on  by  the  high  window- 
casing  in  some  way  and  gazing  through 
the  glass  absorbedly.  I  knew  also  that 
they  occasionally  gave  details  of  what 
they  saw  to  people  below  them,  who 
heard  but  could  not  see.  Sometimes  a 
boy  emitted  a  sharp,  prolonged  yell  after 
one  of  us  had  made  a  particularly  won- 
derful lurch.  I  learned  later  that  not 
one  of  the  spectators  happened  to  see  the 
bird,  and  so  they  had  no  way  of  account- 
ing for  the  antics  they  were  witnessing. 
They  simply  knew  that  two  unknown 
women  had  arrived  by  train  from  Spar- 
tanburg,  had  gone  to  this  store,  and  that 
the  storekeeper  had  fastened  the  building 


20  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

previous  to  a  combined  attempt  on  his 
part  and  on  the  part  of  the  unknown 
women  to  climb  up  the  walls  of  the 
store. 

When  the  bird  was  in  its  cage  again 
our  host  flung  open  the  door.  There 
immediately  entered  a  large  man,  who 
looked  sharply  at  our  red  and  perspiring 
faces.  Behind  was  a  small  crowd  of 
blacks  and  whites.  Among  them  I  rec- 
ognized all  the  people  I  had  seen  at  the 
boarding-house,  and  I  never  saw  such, 
horror  upon  any  countenances  as  was 
upon  theirs.  I  knew  that  they  were 
thinking  with  terror  that  we  had  been 
beneath  their  roof,  and  with  thankfulness 
that  we  were  not  there  now. 

The  large  man  said  pompously  that  he 
was  afraid  we  had  been  very  near  dis- 
turbing the  peace,  and  he  sincerely  hoped 
we  would  not  do  it  any  more.  The 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  21 

storekeeper  looked  confused,  but  he  tried 
to  take  the  matter  jocularly,  and  replied 
that  he  hoped  so  too,  but  that  folks  had 
to  make  some  kind  of  a  row  when  they 
were  chasm*  after  a  cussed  redbird. 

The  large  man  repeated  the  words : 
"Redbird?  Chasin'  ?"  in  a  voice  rather 
incredulous,  and  looked  scrutinizingly 
about  him.  The  crowd  which  was  rill- 
ing the  store  also  stared  with  the  same 
incredulity,  and  with  faces  that  were  grad- 
ually growing  disappointed.  A  woman 
in  a  very  deep  cape  bonnet,  —  a  bonnet 
which  makes  a  face  look  as  if  it  were  at 
the  far  end  of  a  cavern, —  pushed  her  way 
up  to  the  spokesman  and  said  something 
to  him.  He  coughed  and  hesitated,  but 
at  length,  looking  severely  at  the  store- 
keeper, he  said  that  an  esteemed  fellow- 
townswoman  had  suggested  to  him  that  at 
least  one  of  the  strangers  now  present 


22  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

was  a  maniac  ;  that  she  had  escaped  from 
an  asylum  in  Spartanburg,  and  that  it  was 
dangerous  to  the  public  welfare  to  allow 
her  to  be  at  large. 

"In  fact,"  he  said,  suddenly  relapsing 
into  a  conversational  tone,  "  Mrs.  Wil- 
liams here  says  her  boy  saw  one  of  these 
ladies  go  up  the  side  of  the  house  in  a 
way  beyond  any  one  but  a  crazy 
woman." 

"Oh,  squire,  that's  all  bosh,"  re- 
turned our  host  and  protector.  "  If 
you  've  ever  tried  ter  ketch  a  bird,  you 
know  you  don't  move's  ef  you  was 
a-walkin'  inter  church." 

There  was  the  bird  in  its  cage,  looking 
tired  and  conquered.  It  seemed  to  be  a 
piece  of  circumstantial  evidence  that  had 
great  weight  with  the  people  now  pres- 
ent, but  it  was  evident  that  they  were 
sorry  to  give  up  the  belief  that  a  fe- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  23 

male  maniac,  —  possibly  two  of  them, 
—  had  besieged  this  portion  of  Asheville 
Junction. 

While  the  assembly  was  dispersing, 
with  many  suspicious  looks  back  at  us, 
some  one  announced  that  Alick  was  in 
sight. 

We  hurried  to  the  door,  to  see  a  rat- 
tling surrey  drawing  near.  The  vehicle 
contained  a  boy  who  was  leaning  forward 
and  lashing  the  horse.  It  turned  out  that 
the  delay,  at  which  no  one  wondered, 
had  been  caused  by  the  discovery,  at  the 
moment  of  harnessing,  that  the  rim  of 
one  of  the  hind  wheels  was  so  nearly 
detached  that  even  a  North  Carolina 
boy  could  not  think  of  starting  with  it 
in  that  condition.  The  wheel  had  been 
without  a  tire  for  some  time  previous. 

Alick  had  taken  off  the  rim  completely 
before  leaving  home.  He  explained  to 


24  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

us  that  the  process  had  been  a  longer  job 
than  he  had  expected,  for,  though  most 
of  the  spokes  had  been  "loose  as  water/' 
some  of  them  had  "  stuck  so  's  he  reck- 
oned he  never  should  git  'em  pounded 
off.  But  he  had,  an'  he  made  no  doubt 
but  we  mought  git  ter  Mr.  Ayer's  jist  as 
the  surrey  was.  He  had  ben  reckonin' 
a  heap  er  times  ter  git  a  tire  on,  but  he 
was  so  hurried  he  had  n't  had  no 
chance." 

So  we  went  thumping  along  over  the 
wet  State  road.  The  wheel  that  had  no 
rim  was  on  the  side  where  Amabel  sat ; 
and  she  said  she  was  so  absorbed  in 
watching  the  spokes  come  round  and  in 
wondering  why  they  did  not  fall  out, 
that  she  had  no  thought  for  the  beauty  of 
the  country. 

Alick  was  alone  on  the  front  seat ;  he 
was  occupied  in  whacking  the  horse  and 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  25 

in  pulling  on  the  lines.  He  was  about 
thirteen,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  worked 
too  hard,  and  as  if  life  were  rather  a 
tough  thing  for  him.  I  doubt  if  he  had 
ever  really  known  that  the  mountains 
were  about  his  home.  How  could  he 
know  that  he  lived  in  the  midst  of  a 
beauty  so  great  that  men  and  women 
gladly  travelled  hundreds  of  miles  just  to 
look  upon  it?  The  hills  stood,  the 
streams  rushed,  —  what  did  he  care  ? 
After  a  long  silence,  during  which  we 
gazed  at  the  encircling  mountains,  at  the 
rising  and  falling  stretches  of  "  old 
fields  ' '  that  are  good  for  the  eye,  if  not 
for  agriculture,  at  all  the  new  and  beauti- 
ful aspects  which  nature  wears  here,  we 
turned  again  to  our  driver. 

We  began  to  question  him.  We  asked 
him  about  his  horse,  which  he  said  cost 
his  father  two  hundred  dollars,  but  was 


26  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

worth  three  hundred.  From  that  mo- 
ment I  am  grieved  to  say  that  we  sus- 
pected every  word  that  Alick  said.  It 
soon,  to  our  deep  anxiety,  began  to  be 
borne  in  upon  us  that  he  did  not  know 
the  way  to  Mr.  Ayer's.  He  informed 
us  that  Mr.  Ayer  lived  five  miles  away, 
in  Limestone  Township.  Thus  far,  no 
two  persons  had  agreed  about  the  dis- 
tance. Alick  asserted  stoutly  that  he 
knew  "iv'ry  inch,"  and  that  you 
couldn't  "  fule  him  on  these  yer  roads." 

But  when  we  left  the  public  highway 
and  entered  one  of  the  paths  that  twist 
and  intersect  among  the  woods  on  these 
mountain  slopes,  we  almost  gave  up  all 
hope  of  reaching  anywhere. 

Every  few  moments  Alick  would  turn 
into  another  cartway,  lashing  and  pound- 
ing along  over  the  dreadful  paths. 

After  a  while,  as  the  mountain  grew 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  27 

steeper  and  we  seemed  to  be  getting 
nowhere,  we  fancied  that  our  driver 
began  to  look  anxious.  Twice  he  had 
taken  what  he  acknowledged  must  be  the 
wrong  path,  and  was  obliged  to  back  out. 
Backing  out  of  a  very  narrow,  deep-rutted 
way,  in  a  wagon  whose  wheels  are  not 
all  provided  with  rims,  and  on  a  precipi- 
tous slope  of  the  great  Appalachian  range, 
is  not  conducive  to  calmness  of  mind. 

When  we  questioned  our  guide  and 
driver  concerning  this  often-repeated  pro- 
cess, he  explained  that  he  did  it  "  'cos 
thur  Jd  ben  so  many  roads  shet  urp  sence 
he  was  thur  last." 

In  truth,  we  had  passed  many  openings 
across  which  landowners  had  thrown 
large  pine  branches  to  signify  that  they, 
the  owners,  were  tired  of  allowing  this 
particular  portion  of  their  property  to  be 
travelled  over. 


28  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

At  last  we  came  out  to  a  clearing  where 
was  a  log  cabin,  with  a  woman  chopping 
wood  and  smoking  in  front  of  it.  We 
insisted  that  the  woman  should  be  asked 
to  tell  if  she  knew  where  Mr.  Ayer 
lived.  She  leaned  on  her  axe  handle  for 
some  time  looking  at  us  before  she 
said  :  — 

"Naw  ;  I  d'  know.  Reckon  my  ole 
man  Jll  know."  She  raised  her  voice 
and  shouted  :  — 

"  Brit  !  I  say  !  Hyar  's  women  !  " 
Perhaps  she  knew  the  quickest  way  to 
bring  "Brit"  to  the  surface.  A  big 
fellow  slouched  into  dusky  view  from  the 
interior  of  the  cabin.  He,  too,  was 
smoking.  He  held  negligently  across 
his  left  arm  a  few-months-old  baby, 
which  stared,  and  drooled,  and  gurgled. 

"  Whar  be  ye  gwineter  ?  "  asked  this 
man. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   29 

We  told  him  where  we  wanted  to  go. 
With  his  disengaged  arm  he  gave  a  pro- 
digious sweep,  which  included  the  whole 
country  to  the  north  of  us. 

"  That-a-way,"  he  said,  and  sat  down 
in  the  door  of  the  cabin,  so  that  he  might 
gaze  at  us  more  at  his  ease. 

Alick  backed  and  turned  and  twisted, 
and  got  the  horse's  head  round  in  a  differ- 
ent direction.  In  this  proceeding  one 
spoke  came  from  the  rimless  wheel,  and 
he  climbed  out  and  secured  it. 

We  informed  him  with  severity  that 
we  were  sorry  he  had  undertaken  to  con- 
vey us  to  Mr.  Ayer's  when  he  did  not 
know  the  way.  We  should  probably  be 
lost  on  the  mountain  for  days  and  days, 
if  not  for  the  rest  of  our  lives,  and  he 
would  be  responsible.  We  should  try 
and  bear  it,  but  it  was  a  hard  fate  for 
him,  young  as  he  was. 


30   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

He  turned  squarely  round  on  us,  his 
face  red  and  his  lip  quivering,  as  if  he 
were  going  to  cry. 

"  What  kinder  slops  be  yer  a  talkin'  ? " 
he  cried  out  fiercely.  "I  ain't  lost.  We 
ain't  fules,  I  reckon.  Anyways,  my 
hoss  ain't  er  fule.  Ef  I  let  him  go, 
he'd  take  us  back  ter  the  Junction  any 
time." 

"  But  we  don't  want  to  go  to  the 
Junction,"  said  Amabel.  "  If  we  did 
that  we  should  only  have  to  wait  again 
for  you  to  take  us  to  Mr.  Ayer's,  and 
another  rim  might  come  off;  or  you 
might  break  your  leg ;  or  we  might 
break  our  legs ;  and  you  don't  know  the 
way,  and  you  can't  find  it  either.  So 
don't  take  us  back  to  the  Junction  to 
begin  this  thing  all  over  again.  There 
is  no  one  there  who  can  take  us." 

"I  dew  know  thur  way,  too!"   said 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  31 

Alick,  with  an  explosive  sob.  "I  dew 
know  it!  But  the  durn  folkses  hes  be'n 
an'  stopped  urp  thur  roads  so,  durn  it ! ' ' 

"  Yes,"  said  Amabel,  relentlessly, 
"and  if  we  don't  get  to  Mr.  Ayer's 
soon,  the  folks  will  have  time  enough  to 
stop  up  all  the  roads  there  are  on  this 
mountain." 

Alick  muttered  that  "  he  'd  be  durn'd 
ef  he  wouldn't  let  his  hoss  go  home 
'fore  he  'd  stay  much  longer  on  that  thur 
mounting." 


32   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER    III 

On  a  North  Carolina  Mountain 

THERE  was  a  time  when  I 
considered  it  would  be  a 
very  romantic  thing  to  be 
lost  on  a  mountain.  Think  of  the 
grandeur  and  sublimity!  Think  of  the 
heroic  devotion  of  the  lover,  who  is 
necessarily  always  lost  with  you,  if  you 
are  a  woman.  He  shelters  you  with  his 
coat,  not  minding  the  cold  himself.  He 
always  has  matches  on  his  person,  and 
when  darkness  has  come  down,  and  it  is 
useless  to  try  to  find  your  way  any  more, 
the  lover  —  he  has  not  yet  declared  him- 
self, but  he  will  —  gathers  branches  of 
trees  and  sets  fire  to  them.  When  the 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  33 

cheerful  fire  blazes  up,  and  makes  the 
usual  Rembrandt  lights  and  shades,  he 
throws  himself  at  your  feet,  and  you  are 
both  silent  for  a  short  time.  The  silence 
is  full  of  a  strange  and  subtle  sweetness, 
and  of  heart-beats.  He  is  in  his  shirt- 
sleeves because  you  have  his  coat,  but  his 
dark  face  and  picturesque  moustache  seem 
even  more  attractive  than  they  had  been 
when  you  last  saw  him  in  evening  dress, 
and  waltzed  with  him.  The  strains  of 
that  last  "valse  of  Von  Weber'*  come 
back  to  you,  together  with  the  memory 
of  the  blonde  girl  in  blue,  who  made 
such  a  bold,  dead  set  at  the  man  at  your 
feet.  At  thought  of  her,  your  face 
hardens.  He  looks  up  at  you,  tossing  his 
dark  hair  from  his  forehead  with  that 
gesture  you  have  learned  to  love. 

The  above  paragraph  will  give  a  hint 
of  the  way  I  had  always  intended  to  be 
3 


34   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

lost  on  a  mountain  ;  it  is,  I  am  sure,  the 
only  proper  way  for  a  woman  to  be  lost 
—  the  only  womanly  way. 

Instead,  however,  of  any  such  expe- 
rience befalling  Amabel  and  me,  here  we 
were  in  broad  daylight  in  a  surrey  going 
partially  on  spokes,  a  horse  said  to  be 
worth  three  hundred  dollars,  and  a  boy 
who  was  not  worth  a  cent,  and  who  was 
now  so  bewildered,  that  he  had  ceased 
even  to  "  dum  the  folkses  as  had  stopped 
up  all  their  dum  roads." 

Alick  had  lost  all  his  confidence  and 
appearance  of  knowledge.  He  had  even 
ceased  to  whack  at  his  horse  with  his 
stump  of  a  whip.  After  we  had  left  the 
cabin  where  we  inquired  for  Mr.  Ayer's 
house,  Alick  had  huddled  forward  on  his 
seat,  and  had  said  "  dunno  v  to  everything 
we  asked  him.  Once  he  had  tried  to 
explain  to  us  that  if  we  "  had  n't  er  been 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   35 

in  sich  a  hurry  when  he  started,  he  should 
er  had  more  wits  'bout  him  now,  he 
reckoned." 

We  felt  this  to  be  hard  to  bear,  coming 
from  one  who  had  kept  us  waiting  nearly 
five  hours  in  a  grocery  store.  In  addition 
to  our  other  comforts  while  lost  on  the 
mountain,  we  must  not  forget  the  red- 
bird.  He  was  with  us.  Also  his  cage. 
Every  time  the  carriage  lurched  this  side 
or  that,  which  was  every  moment,  the 
cage  must  be  kept  from  too  violent  a 
movement.  Amabel  confessed  that  life 
seemed  too  precious  to  be  devoted  entirely 
to  a  bird-cage.  But  as  she  had  brought 
the  bird  so  far  and  endured  so  much  for 
it,  it  did  seem  too  bad  to  give  it  up  just 
as  we  were  so  near  Mr.  Ayer's. 

Here  she  interrupted  herself,  to  say 
that  perhaps  we  had  entirely  mistaken  the 
range  of  mountains  among  which  our 


36   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

friends  dwelt.  She  asked  Alick  how 
many  ranges  of  mountains  there  were  in 
North  Carolina.  The  question  plunged 
the  boy  into  the  most  pitiable  confusion. 
He  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  there  were 
millions  of  um  ;  but  he  would  n't  care  ef 
thur  war,  ef  he  only  did  n't  lose  "  all  his 
spokes."  He  avowed  that  if  it  hadn't 
ben  for  thum  spokes,  a  kinder  breshin' 
an*  thumpin'  on  thur  ground,  he  should 
er  ben  clearer  in  his  mind  somehow,  an* 
should  n't  er  got  lost. 

"Then  you  own  you  are  lost,"  said 
Amabel.  "  That  is  a  satisfaction,  any 
way  ;  for  we  've  known  it  for  an  hour. 
What  will  be  our  ultimate  fate,  do  you 
think." 

This  last  question  was  directed  to  me. 
As  it  was  put,  the  horse  suddenly  stood 
still,  for  the  twentieth  time,  before  a  pile 
of  young  felled  pines  which  "  shet  urp  " 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   37 

a  road,  lying  directly  across  it.  We  were 
so  shut  in  by  the  woods  on  the  mountain 
side  that 'we  could  only  occasionally  have 
glimpses  of  heights  rising  beyond,  or  of 
the  deeps  of  narrow  valleys,  where  streams 
rushed  foaming. 

It  was  impossible  to  guess  what  would 
be  our  ultimate  fate.  Alick  was  blubber- 
ing softly  to  himself  and  muttering  about 
spokes.  The  redbird  was  fluttering 
madly.  It  was  a  fitting  moment  for  a 
rescue  from  some  source.  But  it  is  a 
curious  and  sad  fact  that  only  in  stories  is 
the  rescue  effected  at  the  proper  time. 
Alick  whined  out  the  remark  that  "  he 
didn't  know  as  his  hoss  could  find  the 
way  back  to  the  Junction,  now,  'cos 
we  'd  ben  er  makin'  him  go  on  so." 

We  thought  of  the  Junction  boarding- 
house.  Was  it  possible  that  we  should 
be  obliged,  when  night  came,  to  occupy 


38    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

one  of  the  beds  in  the  Junction  general 
sitting-room  ? 

"I  guess, "  said  Amabel  desperately, 
"  that  you  may  take  the  horse  out  of  the 
shafts,  Alick,  and  ride  him  home.  But 
leave  us  the  wagon.  We  will  camp  out 
in  it.  We  will  set  snares  and  catch  our 
food,  which  we  will  eat  raw.  We  can't 
go  back  to  the  Junction,  because  if  we  do 
we  can  never  leave  it.  We  will  dwell 
here,  near  to  Nature's  heart.  Go,  Alick, 
but  leave  us  the  surrey.  If  in  future 
years  any  one  should  inquire  what  was 
our  fate,  say  nothing.  Let  a  veil  of 
silence  drop  between  us  and  posterity. 
I  don't  know  how  long  we  can  live  on 
raw  rabbits  and  squirrels  without  salt.  I 
don't  even  know  whether  corset  lacings 
will  make  good  snares.  When  we  die,  I 
hope  we  may  die  in  sight  of  Mount  Pisgah. 
Go,  Alick." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   39 

The  boy  stared  stupidly.  He  did,  how- 
ever, catch  the  idea  of  riding  home.  He 
said  he  was  durn'd  ef  he  did  n't  think  he  'd 
go.  He  'd  git  some  men  ter  come  after  us. 
He '  d  git  um  right  yer,  right  soon,  too. 
When  we  asked  him  how  he  could  find 
his  way  back  to  us,  he  began  to  assert  him- 
self again,  with  the  bullying  air  of  a  boy. 

Should  we  let  him  go  ?  I  looked  at 
Amabel's  strained  and  anxious  face.  She 
said  she  believed  the  carriage  would  be 
wanted  ;  she  believed  in  time  somebody 
would  come.  And  we  might  be  very 
near  a  house  without  knowing  it.  These 
roads  led  to  farms. 

Meanwhile  Alick  had  scrambled  out 
and  was  feverishly  taking  the  "gears" 
from  the  horse.  He  did  not  speak.  He 
wanted  to  get  away.  And  he  went. 
We  saw  him  go,  and  saw  that  he  let  the 
horse  take  its  own  course. 


4Q    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

After  that  we  sat  silently,  the  bird 
frisking  as  if  in  great  joy.  It  was  trying 
to  see  the  joy  of  that  bird. 

The  sun  came  round  in  front  of  us, 
and  we  became  very  hungry.  But  we 
were  not  yet  ready  to  set  snares.  Some- 
how snares  did  not  seem  available  when 
we  looked  down  the  vast  slope  of  the 
mountain  at  our  left. 

At  the  end  of  two  hours,  as  we  were 
looking  thus,  we  saw  something  that 
roused  us  greatly.  It  was  a  horse  carry- 
ing what  we  decided  to  be  a  woman  on 
its  back.  It  was  slowly  climbing  toward 
us.  We  were  out  of  the  carriage,  for  we 
had  been  exploring  as  far  in  every  direction 
as  we  dared  to  go,  without  rinding  any- 
thing. We  were  at  some  distance  from 
our  vehicle  and  we  stood  still,  watching. 
The  steed  was  a  "  clay  bank,"  and  it 
was  certainly  a  woman  on  him  ;  a  woman 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   41 

sitting  on  a  man's  saddle,  wearing  a 
bright  pink  sun  bonnet  and,  for  the  rest, 
in  a  very  ragged  condition.  She  had  in 
front  of  her,  and  apparently  laid  across  the 
horse's  neck,  some  kind  of  a  bundle  from 
which  faint  cries  occasionally  issued. 
Every  time  the  bundle  cried  the  woman 
gave  it  a  little  slap. 

As  long  as  this  fair  equestrienne  con- 
tinued to  come  toward  us  we  would  not 
call  to  her.  We  remained  quiet,  watch- 
ing to  see  the  effect  on  her  of  a  surrey 
found  in  the  wilderness.  She  came  di- 
rectly upon  the  carriage  before  she  saw  it, 
for  a  cape  bonnet  performs  for  its  wearer 
the  same  office  which  blinders  perform  for 
a  horse.  The  clay  bank  was  pulled  up 
shortly  from  its  melancholy  walk.  Its 
rider  said  "  Law  me  !  "  and  remained 
motionless,  gazing.  A  faint  wail  and  a 
futile  movement  of  the  bundle  in  front 


42   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

roused  her  to  a  more  vigorous  slap.  Then 
she  drew  her  foot  from  the  loop  in  the 
strap  which  had  served  her  for  a  stirrup 
and  slipped  to  the  ground.  She  lifted  the 
shabby  bundle  down  and  put  it  on  the 
ground  at  the  root  of  a  tree.  She  shook 
it  impatiently  as  she  did  so,  and  said 
drawlingly,  "  Thur,  yo'  sullen  heifer,  yo* 
jis'  lay  thur,  will  yo'  ?  " 

The  child  sobbed,  but  remained  quiet. 
The  woman  slouched  up  to  the  carriage, 
while  the  horse  had  immediately  begun 
cropping  what  green  leaves  it  could  find. 
She  pushed  back  her  bonnet.  We  saw  a 
bony  face,  yellow,  with  thin-lipped,  lascivi- 
ous mouth  drooling  a  brown  liquid  which 
had  gone  down  each  side  of  the  chin  and 
had  made  dark  smooches  on  her  wrinkled 
throat.  The  throat  and  bosom  were  un- 
covered, for  the  fastenings  of  the  upper 
part  of  the  dress  had  gone.  A  fragment 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  43 

of  a  shawl  had  been  pinned  over  the 
shoulders,  but  when  she  had  dismounted 
this  had  become  displaced. 

She  leaned  on  the  wheel  nearest  her 
and  gazed  at  the  carriage  and  its  contents. 
Satchels  and  shawls  and  bird-cage  were 
there.  After  a  long  gaze  she  turned  her 
head  slightly  and  spat.  Then  she  said 
"  Law  me  !  "  again,  this  time  with  a  slight 
show  of  animation.  Her  sunken  eyes  had 
a  dull  gleam  in  them  as  she  reached  forth 
a  dingy,  corded  hand  and  took  one  of  the 
shawls. 

We  now  thought  it  was  time  to  ad- 
vance. We  walked  forward  noisily  among 
the  leaves  and  branches.  She  dropped  the 
shawl  and  turned  toward  us,  composedly 
staring,  her  bonnet  pushed  back,  revealing 
locks  of  inky  black  hair,  straying  roughly. 

When  we  reached  the  side  of  the 
surrey  she  said  "Howdy,"  and  with  her 


44  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

tongue  rolled  something  from  its  resting- 
place  beneath  her  under  lip,  to  some 
other  position  in  her  mouth. 

After  a  moment's  hesitation  we  said 
"  Howdy,"  also,  and  then  waited.  She 
leaned  on  the  wheel,  and  continued  her 
observation  of  us,  with  such  calmness  and 
such  unswerving  intentness,  that  I  was 
fast  becoming  rigid.  To  try  if  I  could 
make  a  movement  I  pinched  Amabel's 
arm,  and  she  responded  in  kind.  Some- 
body must  speak  or  I  felt  that  we  might 
become  enchanted.  I  was  beginning  to 
think  that  anything  was  possible  among 
these  mountains.  To  wur  great  surprise 
the  woman  spoke  first.  She  said  it  was 
a  "  right  pooty  evenin'." 

Changing  her  position  she  lifted  a  foot 
and  rested  it  on  the  hub  of  the  wheel. 
Then  she  asked  us  if  we  were  "reck'nin* 
to  settle." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  45 

Amabel  said  desperately  that  she  did 
not  know  whether  we  should  ever  settle 
or  not,  but  a  boy  from  the  Junction  had 
undertaken  to  drive  us  to  Mr.  Ayer's, 
who  lived  on  a  mountain  somewhere  in 
Limestone  Township,  and  it  had  turned 
out  that  he  did  n't  know  where  Mr. 
Ayer's  house  was.  And  we  didn't 
know  either.  Did  she  know  ?  The 
boy  had  gone  back  to  the  Junction ; 
that  is,  he  was  going  to  try  to  get  to  the 
Junction.  We  thought  we  should  find 
some  one,  or  some  one  would  come  along, 
even  if  Alick  should  not  come  back. 

Then  we  waited  for  the  woman  to 
speak.  She  was  in  no  hurry.  She  took 
her  foot  from  the  hub  and  put  up  the 
other  one.  Now  we  noticed  that  her 
feet  were  clad  in  man's  boots  very  much 
"  shouled  "  over  at  the  sides,  so  that  the 
heels  scarcely  touched  the  ground.  At 


46   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

that  moment  the  baby,  a  few  yards  away 
under  the  tree,  stirred  and  whined.  The 
mother  turned  her  head  over  her  shoulder 
and  said  :  "  Hold  your  jaw  !  " 

Impossible  to  tell  whether  the  baby 
knew  the  meaning  of  these  words,  but  it 
stopped  whining. 

The  woman  looked  at  us  and  slowly 
began  to  speak. 

"  Thur  's  a  boy  ben  er  comin'  fur  his 
eatin's  ter  my  house  last  week/*  she 
said,  "he  war  er  plowin'  fur  the  ole 
Penlands.  I  reckon  he  said  thur  war  er 
man  named  Ayer  summers  on  this  mount- 
ing, or  on  the  Busbee.  It  war  er  man 
who  had  an  idee  as  we-uns  didn't  plow 
deep  'nough  round  hyar.  I  reckon  he's 
got  his  head  sut  onter  plowin'  deeper 
hisse'f." 

There  was  so  much  scorn  in  the  last 
words,  and  the  speaker,  after  having 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  47 

spoken  them,  ejected  tobacco  saliva  so 
contemptuously,  that  we  both  felt  it  was 
a  disgrace  to  us  that  we  had  inquired  for 
Mr.  Ayer.  Still  we  must  persist. 

"Then  you  don't  know  where  Mr. 
Ayer  lives  ?  "  asked  Amabel  dejectedly. 

"Naw." 

A  gloomy  silence  now  fell  upon  us. 
The  stranger  occupied  it  by  resuming  her 
dull  study  of  us.  The  sun  was  getting 
nearer  the  top  of  a  tall  mountain  in  the 
West.  Our  hunger  was  increasing. 

"  But  that  boy  who  was  plowing  for 
the  Penlands,"  exclaimed  Amabel  eag- 
erly. "  He  knows  where  Mr.  Ayer's 
house  is  ?  " 

«  Yes-urn.' ' 

Then  if  we  could  see  that  boy  !  Only 
to  think  that  there  was  a  boy  who  knew 
where  Mr.  Ayer  lived  was  like  a  tonic  to 
us.  We  asked  if  this  woman  would  take 


48   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

us  to  her  house,  feed  us  and  shelter  us 
until  this  precious  boy  could  be  pro- 
duced. To  our  surprise  she  not  only- 
seemed  willing  to  do  so,  but  she  showed 
some  signs  of  a  hospitable  feeling.  But 
she  warned  us  that  her  cabin  was 
"  mighty  pore."  She  also  made  the 
somewhat  ambiguous  remark  that  "  she 
hadn't  got  no  old  man  jis  now,"  and 
added  the  information  that  "hog's  my 
meat  an*  whiskey  *s  my  drink." 

But  this  knowledge  could  not  daunt  us. 
Hog  and  whiskey  looked  pleasant  to  us 
now.  We  felt  that  the  sooner  we  started 
the  better  it  would  be  for  us.  The  wo- 
man caught  the  clay  bank  horse  without 
any  difficulty.  She  said  we  might  either 
of  us  ride.  But  neither  my  friend  nor 
myself  had  any  confidence  in  our  powers 
to  ride  on  a  man's  saddle  along  the  sides  of 
these  mountains.  The  stranger  mounted 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  49 

and  asked  us  to  hand  up  the  baby.  She 
then  directed  that  the  two  satchels  be  fas- 
tened together  with  one  of  the  reins 
belonging  to  the  gears  Alick  had  left. 
Thus  fastened  they  were  flung  over  the 
horse  behind  its  rider.  Amabel  carried 
the  bird-cage.  So  we  went  slowly  and 
toilsomely  down  the  steepest  path  I  was 
ever  on.  Nobody  spoke  a  word.  We 
watched  the  horse  deliberately  bracing  its 
front  feet  with  every  step  it  took.  We 
also  braced  and  dug  our  heels  into 
the  soft,  dark  soil.  We  went  on  an 
hour  like  this.  After  a  while  the  path, 
descending  all  the  time,  curved  round 
to  the  left.  On  a  slope,  not  so  steep 
as  the  one  we  had  been  descending, 
but  still  perilously  like  the  pitch  of  a 
house-roof,  were  a  few  acres  of  deadened 
trees,  and  in  the  midst,  a  log  cabin.  A 
spotted  black  and  white  dog  came  gallop- 
4 


50   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

ing  out  to  greet  us.  An  ash-hopper  was 
at  one  end  of  the  cabin.  There  was  not 
a  tree,  save  the  spectral  dead  ones,  near. 

The  woman  rode  up  to  the  open  door 
and  we  followed. 

"  Hyar  we  be,"  she  said.  She  slipped 
off  her  horse,  pulled  the  saddle  from  him 
and  threw  it  inside  the  door,  then  turned 
the  animal  loose. 

f(  Ef  he  gits  ter  thur  roughness  I  shaVt 
blame  him  noan,"  she  remarked.  We 
heard  her  without  in  the  least  knowing 
what  she  meant. 

Before  she  removed  her  sun-bonnet  she 
went  to  a  table  in  a  corner  of  the  room 
where  stood  a  dish  with  some  cooked  fat 
meat.  She  cut  off  a  thick  slice  and  gave 
it  into  the  clutching  fingers  of  her  baby. 
The  child  took  the  bacon  and  began 
sucking  it  greedily.  It  sucked  contentedly 
after  it  was  laid  on  the  bed,  which  was 
a  sack  of  straw  with  some  quilts  on  it. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   51 

We  sat  down  on  a  bench  which  stood 
against  the  wall.  There  were  no  chairs, 
only  a  stool  in  front  of  the  fireplace 
where  some  logs  were  burning  dully. 
The  wind  blew  in  through  the  cracks, 
and  soon  made  us  shiver.  Besides,  the 
door  was  open,  and  it  must  be  open,  for 
there  was  no  other  way  of  admitting 
light.  Of  course  we  had  read  about 
these  hovels  before,  but  being  in  one  and 
reading  about  one  are  two  different  ex- 
periences. So  different,  in  fact,  that 
I  feel  that  the  temptation  to  go  on 
describing  is  a  temptation  to  be  resisted. 

Our  hostess  had  removed  her  sun- 
bonnet,  showing  how  full  of  veins  her 
dingy  neck  was,  and  how  shrunken. 
Showing  also  that,  despite  her  wrinkles 
and  her  sallowness,  she  was  not  old. 
She  revealed  what  a  woman  looks  like 
who  works  at  the  plow,  who  eats  hog 


52   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

and  drinks  whiskey,  who  sucks  at  a  wad 
of  snuff,  who  is  as  licentious  as  the  worst 
women  in  cities. 

It  was  easy  to  guess  at  many  of  her 
sins.  It  was  also  easy  to  see  that  she  had 
the  virtue  of  hospitality.  Plainly  she 
enjoyed  mixing  the  corn  pone  and  frying 
the  bacon,  and  both  were  soon  down  on 
the  coals  before  the  fire.  She  told  us  she 
hadn't  any  tea  or  coffee,  but  she  would 
steep  us  some  dittany  which  she  con- 
sidered fully  equal  to  store  tea,  specially 
with  a  "few  merlasses  inter  it." 

We  ate  the  pone  and  bacon  and  drank 
the  dittany.  We  ate  so  much  that  our 
hostess  once  actually  smiled,  her  wide, 
almost  lipless  mouth  looking  strange  in 
the  process. 

"  You-uns  war  hungry,"  she  said.  "  I 
never  seen  nobody  dew  much  better  at 
eatin's." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   53 

CHAPTER  IV 

Ristus  Leads  the  Way 

THE  woman  who  entertained  us 
in    her    cabin    had    compli- 
mented us  on  "doin*  mighty 
well  at  our  eatin's,"  and  we  deserved  the 
remark.      Now  that  we  were  no  longer 
hungry,    it    seemed   a   mystery    that   we 
could    have    devoured    so    much    "hog 
and  hominy."     It  was  our  "sleepin's" 
that  next  began  to  occupy  our  minds. 

The  sun  was  down  behind  that  double 
mountain  which  is  named  the  "  Twin 
Brothers ' '  ;  still  we  were  assured  that  it 
wouldn't  be  dark  "fur  quite  a  spell," 
and  the  woman  "warlookin'  fur  Ristus 
right  soon." 


54    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

But  the  phrase  "right  soon"  con- 
veyed dismal  ideas  to  us.  Had  not  Alick 
been  promised  right  soon  ?  Had  we 
come  to  North  Carolina  that  we  might 
spend  our  lives  in  waiting  for  different 
boys?  What  reason  had  we  to  hope 
that  Ristus  would  be  more  prompt  than 
Alick  had  been  ?  It  was  dreadful  to  have 
our  fate  in  the  hands  of  a  boy  named 
Ristus,  who  was  expected  right  soon. 

But  Providence,  having  frowned,  was 
now  about  to  smile.  We  were  hovering 
over  the  fire  when  our  hostess,  coming  in 
with  a  load  of  wood,  remarked  as  she 
flung  it  down,  that  she  "reckoned  she 
seen  Ristus  er  comin'  urp  the  ole  field 
now ;  but  she  hoped  we  could  wait  till 
he  Jd  had  his  eatin's,  fur  ole  man  Penland 
worked  him  like  er  slave." 

We  went  to  the  door  to  look  for  our 
deliverer.  Yes,  up  the  slope,  where 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  55 

young  pines  were  springing,  there  was 
something  moving  slowly.  Could  that 
be  the  boy  ?  It  was  something  which 
wore  a  long  garment  reaching  to  within 
a  few  inches  of  the  ground,  so  near  the 
ground  that  the  wearer  was  holding  it  up 
in  front  as  he  climbed  the  hill.  The 
head  was  covered  by  a  sun-bonnet. 

The  woman  stood  behind  us  and  she 
raised  her  voice  and  drawled  :  — 

"  Be  er  picldn'  urp  yer  needles,  Ristus  ; 
here  be  er  job  fur  yer." 

The  object  heard  the  words,  it  in- 
creased its  speed,  thereby  nearly  falling 
into  the  skirts  of  the  garment. 

We  now  discovered  a  tall,  stalwart  boy 
in  an  army  overcoat,  from  which  the  cape 
had  gone.  The  skirts  of  the  coat  were 
sewed  together  with  twine  in  front  and 
rear,  thus  restricting  the  wearer's  steps  to 
a  very  short  stride  indeed.  We  were 


56   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

soon  convinced  that  this  was  the  only 
article  of  apparel  which  Ristus  wore,  if 
we  except  his  sun-bonnet.  He  was 
barefooted.  It  was  a  mild  day,  mild 
enough  to  be  comfortable  without  shoes, 
and  to  be  uncomfortable  with  an  army 
overcoat  on. 

When  he  came  still  nearer  we  could 
see  large  darns  here  and  there,  darns 
made  with  twine,  not  beautiful  but 
effective. 

We  had  a  passing  glimpse  of  his  face  as 
he  went  by  us  into  the  house,  but  the 
sun-bonnet  immediately  obscured  him 
again.  He  remained  thus  covered  while 
he  swallowed  his  supper.  Amabel  asked 
him  if  he  knew  where  Mr.  Ayer  lived. 
The  sun-bonnet  nodded  an  affirmative. 
She  next  inquired  if  he  would  guide  us 
there  before  dark,  and  there  was  another 
nod. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   57 

It  was,  perhaps,  something  like  having 
an  interview  with  the  Man  in  the  Iron 
Mask.  Certainly  it  was  fully  as  myster- 
ious. The  nods  had  been  so  reassuring 
that  our  spirits  began  to  rise.  We  felt 
that  it  was  better  to  have  Ristus  whom  we 
could  not  see,  than  Alick  whom  we  had 
seen  too  much.  We  began  to  feel  a 
stimulating  effect  from  the  very  fact  that 
we  could  not  see  him.  From  the  Man 
in  the  Iron  Mask  our  thoughts  flew  to 
the  Veiled  Prophet,  thence  vaguely  wan- 
dered to  the  beauties  of  the  East  who 
shroud  themselves  from  vulgar  curiosity. 
We  dared  not  try  to  get  directly  in 
front  of  Ristus ;  we  thought  our  motive 
in  so  doing  would  be  too  apparent. 
And  it  is  only  from  the  front  that  the 
wearer  of  a  sun-bonnet  may  be  seen. 
Pone  and  bacon  disappeared  within  the 
depths  of  that  bonnet,  but  no  sound  of 


58   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

a  voice  came  from  it  until  the   woman 
asked  :  — 

"  Ole  Penland  ben  curttin'  urp  rough 
ter  day,  Ristus  ?  " 

"Torrable  rough." 

"  Why  don't  yer  git  ketched  of  him  ? " 

"Carnt." 

After  that  there  was  no  more  conversa- 
tion, and  no  sound  save  the  crackling  of 
the  fire,  and  the  crunching  of  Ristus' 
teeth  on  corn  bread  in  the  remote  depths 
of  the  bonnet. 

The  twilight  was  coming  on.  We 
knew  there  would  be  no  moon.  Again 
Mr.  Ayer's  grew  far  away.  Suddenly, 
with  the  effect  of  stopping  in  the  middle 
of  a  meal,  the  figure  fastened  into  that 
long  robe  rose  to  its  feet,  and  from  the 
sun-bonnet  came  the  words  : 

"  Reckon  yo'  ladies  '11  be  fur  mekin' 
er  soon  start." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   59 

We  were  instantly  on  our  feet,  Amabel 
with  the  bird-cage  and  a  satchel,  I  with 
more  satchels. 

"The  sooner  the  better,"  we  said 
eagerly. 

But  eagerness  is  thrown  away  among 
these  people.  They  are  made  in  a  way 
which  makes  it  impossible  for  them  to 
understand  rapidity  of  thought  or  motion. 
We  had  supposed  Ristus  was  going  to 
start.  Instead,  he  stood  slouching  in 
front  of  the  fire,  the  strangest  combination 
of  the  pathetic  and  the  ludicrous  in  his 
figure  and  attitude.  He  shifted  his  weight 
from  one  foot  to  another,  his  head-cover- 
ing bent  toward  the  blaze,  while  two  very 
dirty  hands  were  held  outward.  We  re- 
mained standing,  laden  as  we  were. 

"They's  er  waitin',  Ristus,"  at  last 
said  the  woman,  "  and  night 's  er  curmin' 
on,  Ristus." 


60   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

I  was  about  to  say  that  the  boy  started, 
but  that  word  hints  at  something  more 
rapid  than  the  movement  which  propelled 
him  from  the  fire  toward  the  door, 
through  which  could  be  seen  the  vast 
profiles  of  the  mountains,  now  growing  a 
dark  purple  against  the  violet  western  sky. 

He  did  not  turn  toward  us,  but  we, 
thinking  he  had  started  for  Mr.  Ayer's, 
followed  with  our  impediments.  We 
had  not  gone  many  rods  before  we  became 
painfully  aware  that  the  bags  were  too 
much  for  us.  We  called  to  our  guide. 
He  came,  with  his  head  held  in  such  a 
way  that  the  broad  side  of  his  bonnet  was 
presented  to  us.  Without  a  word  he 
picked  up  a  stick  from  the  path,  slung 
two  bags  upon  it  and  took  the  third  in  his 
hand,  the  two  swinging  from  his  shoulder. 
We  followed  as  lightly  as  possible  with 
our  redbird. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  61 

The  gloom  on  this  wooded  mountain 
path  grew  rapidly  deeper,  but  our  guide 
strode  on  without  pause.  Once,  from  a 
side  path,  a  man  on  horseback  came  slowly 
loping.  He  drew  in  his  rein.  "Howdy, 
Ristus,"  he  said,  "  what  ye  got?" 

"Women,"  answered  Ristus,  and  then 
the  horseman  went  on. 

The  steeper  the  way,  the  easier  the 
boy  seemed  to  go.  At  length  I  began 
to  think  that  something  mysterious  had 
secured  control  of  us.  We  should  prob- 
ably follow  in  this  way  along  a  mountain 
side  all  the  rest  of  our  lives.  It  was 
always  to  be  dim,  with  glimpses  of  stars 
through  the  trees  ;  always  there  would  be 
in  front  of  us  a  magnified  figure  in  an 
army  overcoat  and  a  cape  bonnet.  This 
figure  would  forever  be  walking  in  the 
same  peculiar  way,  lifting  its  feet  high, 
because  of  climbing  mountains  for  years. 


62   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

For  the  first  time  since  we  had  left 
Asheville  Junction,  I  wished  I  was  back 
there.  I  thought  with  longing  of  the 
boarding-house  sitting-room  and  its  three 
beds.  We  should  never  see  a  bed  again  ; 
never  see  any  being  but  the  one  which 
we  were  following  —  and  we  had  not 
even  seen  him. 

Amabel  managed  to  ask,  breathlessly, 
"  if  it  was  far  now  ?  " 

"  Ruther  near,"  said  the  unseen.  Did 
"  ruther  near  "  mean  a  few  rods  or  a  few 
miles  ? 

Suddenly,  without  the  slightest  pre- 
monitory sign  that  he  was  going  to  speak, 
Ristus  said,  with  indescribable  contempt 
in  his  voice  : 

"Mr.  Ayer  be  er  man  ez  thinks  we-uns 
don't  plow  deep  enurf.  He's  er  ben  er 
plowin'  deeper.  I  reckon  his  craps  '11 
be  er  sight ;  they  be  er  sight,  anyhow." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   63 

We  could  think  of  nothing  to  say  to 
this  information  ;  and  we  had  no  breath 
to  speak  if  we  could  have  thought  of  a 
suitable  reply. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  more  we  came 
to  a  clearing,  sloping  upward,  and  at  a 
distance  there  was  the  shining  of  a  light 
as  if  from  a  house.  A  few  more  steps, 
and  there  was  a  rush  of  something  coming 
pellmell  down  the  hill  toward  us,  then  a 
barking  in  several  different  keys. 

Ristus  stopped,  and  we  stopped  close 
behind  him.  There  were  voices  from 
the  direction  of  the  house.  The  purple 
lights  of  the  heavens  were  all  gone  now. 
It  seemed  in  the  night,  but  how  mild, 
and  yet  how  exhilarating  the  air  was? 
Not  like  a  night  in  late  fall  at  home. 

The  boy  put  his  hand  to  the  side  of  his 
mouth  and  shouted  :  — 

"Dogs  bite?" 


64   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

The  answer  came  down,  "No;  come 
on." 

The  same  voice  called  the  dogs  strenu- 
ously, "  Buster  !  Tip  !  Bull !  you  ras- 
cals!" 

The  dogs  did  not  obey  in  the  least. 
They  were  now  dashing  around  us  with 
such  celerity  as  to  seem  half  a  dozen 
in  number.  We  had  recognized  Mr. 
Ayer's  voice.  In  the  hurried  movement 
which  this  recognition  stimulated,  Ama- 
bel fell  forward  directly  on  the  bird-cage, 
which  yielded  in  such  a  way  that,  for  the 
second  time  within  twenty- four  hours, 
the  bird  flew  out.  This  time  he  did  not 
escape  into  a  grocery  store,  but  into  the 
wild  woods  I  will  now  finish  the  his- 
tory of  this  particular  redbird  so  far  as  I 
know  it.  We  never  saw  him  again. 
We  had  brought  him  up  from  Florida  at 
the  risk  of  permanently  souring  the  tern- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    65 

pers  of  both  of  us.  During  the  journey 
we  had  sacrificed  for  him  our  liberty  and 
the  pursuit  of  happiness.  This  was  the 
way  he  rewarded  us.  He  was  certainly 
the  most  ungrateful  redbird  with  whom 
I  was  ever  acquainted. 

We  went  on  up  the  hill.  When 
Ristus  called  out  "  Thar  *s  women  hyar," 
we  saw  a  woman  join  the  man,  and  both 
hastened  down. 

Amabel  paid  Ristus  a  dollar.  She  told 
him  she  would  give  him  another  dollar,  if 
he  would  go  down  to  the  Junction  and  see 
that  Alick  found  the  way  to  his  surrey. 
On  hearing  these  words  Mr.  Ayer  in- 
quired if  it  were  Alick' s  surrey  that  was 
standing  out  there  below  his  potato  field. 
He  said  it  was  not  customary  for  him  to 
find  a  surrey  in  his  woods,  but  he  had 
found  one  just  before  dark.  It  was 
dreadful  to  know  after  all  our  suffering 
5 


66    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

that  we  had  been  actually  on  the  Ayer 
farm  in  our  most  despairing  moments. 
So  near  and  yet  so  far.  The  woman 
who  had  fed  us  had  not  lived  in  that 
cabin  long,  or  she  would  have  known 
how  near  to  the  Ayers*  house  that  surrey 
was  left. 

Ristus  accompanied  us  into  the  cabin, — 
a  plank  house  of  two  rooms  and  four 
windows,  —  quite  an  aristocratic  dwell- 
ing. Ristus  was  offered  supper.  He 
said  "he  reckoned  he  wouldn't  set  to 
thur  table  with  us,  but  he  'd  take  er  bite 
by  thur  fire,  ef  they  war  er  mine  ter." 

They  proved  to  be  "  er  mine  ter," 
and  the  boy,  still  in  his  sun-bonnet,  ate 
so  many  plates  of  chicken  and  sweet 
potatoes  that  we  became  alarmed.  There 
was  a  dog  each  side  of  him  and  one  in 
front.  They  all  had  bones  galore.  The 
firelight  shone  on  the  group,  but  again  I 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  67 

was  so  placed,  or  Ristus  was  so  placed, 
that  I  could  not  see  his  face.  I  began  to 
feel  superstitious.  If  this  boy  had  a  face, 
it  seemed  to  me  that  I  could  not  be  happy 
without  seeing  it.  I  was  about  to  plead 
openly  for  that  privilege,  when  he  rose, 
set  his  empty  plate  down  to  the  dogs, 
and,  without  speaking,  walked  out  of  the 
house. 

A  few  moments  later  Amabel  presented 
the  bird-cage  to  her  friend,  and  explained 
the  rather  self-evident  fact  that  the  bird 
was  not  in  it. 

"  But  it  was  a  beautiful  creature,'*  she 
said,  enthusiastically,  "and  has  been  the 
cause  of  much  amiability  in  us  and  others 
all  through  the  journey.  I  may  say  it 
has  been  a  means  of  discipline." 

The  door  opened.  The  head-cover- 
ing of  Ristus  was  thrust  in,  and  the  voice 
of  Ristus  asked  :  — 


68   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Whar  be  thur  quins?" 

"  They  are  visiting  at  their  aunt's  on 
Busbee,"  replied  Mrs.  Ayer. 

The  door  closed  again. 

Amabel  said  that  she  should  continue 
to  try  to  be  reconciled  to  the  belief  that 
she  should  never  look  upon  the  face  of 
Ristus,  but  it  was  too  much  to  expect 
her  to  continue  in  ignorance  of  the  na- 
ture of  "quins."  Might  she  ask  what 
were  "  quins  ?  "  A  breed  of  dogs,  per- 
haps ?  But,  no  —  that  could  hardly  be. 

Mrs.  Ayer  laughed,  but  she  looked 
troubled. 

"Ristus  meant  twins,"  she  said.  "  It 
is  his  peculiarity  to  call  them  as  you 
heard.  He  must  know  better;  no  one 
else  speaks  of  them  thus.  He  is  a 
strange  boy.  Perhaps  you  can  make 
something  of  Orestes.  He  has  an  ideally 
beautiful  head." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  69 

"  Then  you  have  seen  his  head  ?  "  in- 
quired Amabel,  quickly;  "and  his  name 
is  Orestes  ? ' ' 

Mrs.  Ayer  nodded,  and  left  that  sub- 
ject, going  on  to  say  :  — 

"  You  did  not  know  that  we  had 
taken  poor  white  twin  girls  to  'raise.' 
Wait  till  you  see  them.  Eleven  years 
old.  Unadulterated  poor  white  stock. 
They  will  be  over  to-morrow  or  the 
next  day.  They  are  crazy  to  see  the 
company  we  were  expecting.  They 
puzzle  me."  The  speaker  sighed  heav- 
ily. "If  you  need  more  than  Ristus 
and  the  '  quins  '  to  occupy  your  mind, 
then  your  mind  is  of  vast  extent.  Why 
does  Ristus,  who  is  here  a  dozen  times 
a  week,  and  whom  the  dogs  love  more 
than  they  love  us,  always  stop  down 
there  below  the  melon  patch  and  scream 
at  the  top  of  his  lungs  to  know  if  the 


jo   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

dogs  bite.  Some  one  always  has  to  go 
out  and  shout  back  that  they  don't 
bite.  But  that  is  a  trifling  problem, 
I  acknowledge.  It  is  a  wearing  one, 
however,  when  you  have  to  contend 
with  it  daily.  One  time  I  asked  him 
why  he  did  thus,  and  requested  him 
to  discontinue  the  habit.  He  replied 
that  that  'war  thur  way  ter  do,'  and  he 
assured  me  that  it  was  a  way  he  '  reck- 
oned he  should  keep  urp.'  Have  you 
heard  that  we-uns  plow  too  deep  ? 
Yes,  I  thought  you  would  hear  of  that. 
Well,"  as  if  trying  to  shake  off  irritating 
memories,  "  there 's  one  thing  we  do 
have  here  in  perfection,  and  that  is 
scenery." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   71 

CHAPTER    V 

A  Bill  of  Particulars 

BUSTER  was  a  yellow  dog; 
Petite  was  a  yellow  dog ;  Little 
Bull  was  a  yellow  dog.  Let 
me  vary  these  announcements  by  adding 
that  Tip  was  a  brown  dog.  Counting 
these  together,  it  will  be  found  that  there 
were  four  in  all.  Not  counting,  but 
making  an  estimate  by  means  of  the 
general  effect  they  had  upon  you  as  they 
rushed  about,  you  would  have  said  there 
were  a  dozen.  These  were  the  dogs  that 
came  down  with  shrill  greetings  on  the 
night  of  our  arrival  at  Mr.  Ayer's,  on  the 
North  Carolina  Mountain.  These  were 
they  who  escorted  us  every  time  we  went 


72   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

out  to  climb  a  hill  or  to  descend  into  a 
valley.  It  is  always  climbing  or  descend- 
ing here.  It  was  very  fortunate  for  us 
that  we  were  fond  of  dogs,  not  only  "  in 
their  places, "  but  out  of  them.  These 
animals  were  so  small  that  we  could 
always  have  one  or  more  to  hold  when- 
ever we  sat  down.  They  were  smooth- 
haired  terriers,  entirely  untrained  to 
anything  in  particular,  but  extremely 
bright  "of  their  own  accord,"  as 
Amabel  said.  Indeed,  they  had  such 
knowing  faces,  especially  Tip,  that  we 
felt  that  we  must  be  guarded  in  our 
speech  before  them. 

When  you  have  a  small  terrier  sitting 
upright  on  your  knees,  vis-a-vis,  watch- 
ing alertly  every  movement  of  your  lips, 
moving  ears  and  eyes  in  response  to 
each  change  of  tone  in  your  voice,  being 
exhilarated  with  you,  or  depressed  with 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  73 

you,  then  you  feel  as  if  you  should  be 
very  careful  indeed.  He  may  not  go 
and  tell  what  you  have  said  in  an  effusive 
moment,  he  is  too  loyal  to  do  that ;  but 
he  will  know  all  the  same,  and  he  lets 
you  know  that  he  does  know.  As  you 
look  at  him  and  meet  his  keenly  intelli- 
gent gaze,  you  suddenly  give  him  an 
ardent  embrace.  He  responds  by  an 
instantaneous  lick  across  your  face,  then 
immediately  sits  again  in  his  old  position 
and  says  you  may  go  on  with  the  conver- 
sation you  have  interrupted  ;  he  wishes 
you  to  understand  that  he  loves  you,  but 
that  he  cannot  be  hugging  all  the  time  ; 
he  wants  to  know  the  end  of  that  story 
you  were  telling  your  friend,  and  at  the 
end  of  it  perhaps,  he  hopes,  you  will  have 
time  and  inclination  to  give  him  a  piece 
of  corn  pone  with  bacon  fat  spread  on  it. 
That  is  Tip,  the  brown  dog.  He  has 


74  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

constituted  himself  our  especial  attendant, 
so  especial  that  occasionally  he  will  not 
allow  Little  Bull  to  go  a  stroll  with  us. 
He  does  not  fight  Bull,  but  he  manages  to 
make  it  so  very  unpleasant  for  that  indi- 
vidual that  he  is  glad  to  go  back  up  the 
mountain,  lie  down  in  the  sun  on  the 
stoop  of  the  house,  and  pretend  that  he 
did  not  really  want  to  go,  after  all.  Bull 
is  the  most  uninteresting  of  all  the  dogs. 
He  is  a  mongrel.  He  has  a  way  of 
running,  sometimes,  with  his  tail  between 
his  legs,  and  he  looks  as  if  he  might  be 
deceitful.  We  do  not  care  much  for 
Bull,  and  I  fear  he  does  not  get  h's  share 
of  meat. 

Buster  is  such  a  very  yellow  dog  that 
he  is  almost  of  that  hue  called  "old 
gold."  He  is  the  largest,  and  he  is  the 
watchdog  pre-eminently.  He  lies  in 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  75 

front  of  the  cabin,  and  when  any  one  is 
seen  on  the  remotest  confines  of  the  land 
he  rushes  forth,  fearful  in  his  bark.  He 
makes  up  in  barking  what  he  lacks  in 
inclination  to  bite.  He  leads  forth  his 
mates,  and  then  there  is  a  chorus.  All 
people  within  hearing  run  to  see  what 
has  come  on  to  the  land.  It  is  the 
custom  here  for  a  stranger  who  is  ap- 
proaching a  house  to  pause  a  long  distance 
away  and  to  shout  out  the  question,  as 
Ristus  had  done,  "Dogs  bite?"  Some 
one  generally  appears,  the  dogs  begin  to 
wag  and  smile,  and  the  stranger  may 
approach.  If  a  person  took  the  pains  to 
look  into  Buster's  face,  even  when  he  was 
enjoying  a  paroxysm  of  true  watchdog 
barking,  it  would  be  known  immediately, 
if  that  person  were  at  all  wise  in  such 
matters,  that  nothing  could  induce  this 
animal  to  bite  anything.  He  has  such 


76  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

a  mild  forehead,  such  gentle  eyes,  and  has 
altogether  such  a  debonair,  well-wishing 
manner,  that  his  protecting  airs  seem 
rather  of  a  farce.  It  seems  to  entertain 
him  greatly,  however,  to  appear  to  pro- 
tect, and  he  does  no  harm  by  these  pre- 
tensions. It  is  sad  to  be  obliged  to  relate 
in  this  biography  of  Buster  that  he  some- 
times wanders  off  to  neighboring  moun- 
tains, and  on  those  mountain  pastures  he 
catches  and  kills  sheep  which  do  not 
belong  to  him,  and  for  which  his  master 
is  obliged  to  pay.  On  such  occasions 
there  are  invectives  heard  in  the  Ayer 
mansion,  awful  threats  to  kill  Buster,  and 
declarations  that  he  is  no  manner  of  good 
to  anybody.  But  when  Buster  appears, 
so  affable,  so  glad  to  see  you,  so  sure  you 
are  glad  to  see  him,  then  there  is  no  more 
threatening.  He  is  smiled  upon  and 
given  something  good  to  eat. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  77 

Do  not  tell  me  that  I  am  talking  too 
much  about  dogs.  I  am  not  going  to 
say  nearly  as  much  on  the  subject  as  I 
wish  to  say,  and  isn't  that  forbearance  a 
reason  why  you  should  forgive  the  garru- 
lity in  which  I  do  indulge  ?  There  is 
Petite,  who  must  still  be  mentioned'.  It 
may  not  be  too  much  to  say  that  Petite  is 
a  lady,  and  is  the  idol  of  her  mistress's 
heart.  She  is  well-bred,  somewhat  ex- 
clusive, does  not  always  join  the  canine 
circle,  apparently  thinks  Tip  has  a  spice 
of  the  canaille  in  him,  and  in  consequence 
does  not  like  him.  She  never  notices 
Little  Bull  at  all,  or  only  with  the  great- 
est disdain,  but  she  is  so  good  as  to  asso- 
ciate often  with  Buster,  and  will  join  with 
him  in  barking  intruders  off  the  land. 
When  she  returns,  panting,  from  this  duty, 
she  always  has  an  air  as  if  she  would  ex- 
plain that  this  promiscuous  barking  was 


78  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

not  according  to  her  taste,  and  that  she 
participated  in  it  only  because  Buster 
wished  it,  and  Buster  was  her  friend.  It 
was  Buster  who,  in  a  protective  ramble, 
had  found  the  forsaken  surrey  and  had 
drawn  his  master's  attention  to  it.  The 
finding  of  this  carriage  in  the  woods  on 
the  mountain  slope  was  something  like 
coming  upon  a  waterlogged  ship  at  sea. 

It  was  with  great  surprise  that  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  day  after  our  arrival,  hear- 
ing Buster's  vociferations,  we  looked  out 
and  saw  a  horse  and  surrey  slowly  coming 
up  the  cartway  to  the  house.  It  was  cer- 
tainly the  identical  carriage  which  we  had 
reason  to  remember,  for  there  was  the 
wheel  with  no  rim.  On  the  front  seat 
were  two  figures,  which  were  soon  de- 
cided to  be  the  figures  of  Alick  and  Ristus ; 
one  could  hardly  mistake  the  bonnet  and 
coat  of  the  latter  person. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  79 

I  was  struck  with  the  spirited  way  in 
which  Alick  climbed  from  the  wagon. 
We  were  all  on  the  stoop  now.  Alick 
took  off  his  hat  and  carefully  removed 
from  the  crown  of  it  a  folded  piece  of 
paper.  He  gave  it  to  Amabel,  with  the 
explanation  that  it  was  "  for  them  ladies." 
Then  he  said  "  his  father  said  as  how  he 
must  charge  $1.50  more  'n  he  reckoned, 
7 cos  thur  trip  had  been  so  long,  an'  'cos 
thur 'd  ben  a  spoke  lost,  an 'cos  twa'n't 
good  fur  thur  surrey  er  bein'  out  over 
night;  an'  'cos  he,  Alick,  had  been  kep' 
from  work  so  long  ;  an'  '  cos  'twas  worth 
it  anyway." 

We  listened  speechlessly.  We  had 
already  paid  Alick,  very  foolishly,  when 
we  started,  the  price  he  then  asked, 
$1.50,  and  had  naturally  believed  we  had 
discharged  our  indebtedness  so  far  as  he 
was  concerned.  I  think  it  is  the  usual 


8o  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

way  with  women,  that  they  pay  an  ex- 
orbitant charge  and  then  scold  about  it 
afterward.  We  were  about  to  do  that, 
when  Mr.  Ayer,  coming  down  from  the 
barn  and  feeling  thunder  in  the  atmos- 
phere, asked  what  was  the  matter.  We 
explained.  How  great  a  thing  it  is  to  be 
a  man  on  such  an  occasion  as  this ! 

"Don't  you  pay  it,"  he  said  to  us. 
Then  he  told  the  boy  that  if  his  father 
understood  the  matter  he  would  not 
think  of  asking  for  more  money.  He 
ended  by  threatening  that  the  women 
he  brought  up  the  mountain  would  ask 
damages  for  having  had  such  an  inefficient 
driver. 

Alick  turned  away,  muttering  that 
"  somebody  'd  got  ter  pay  fur  them 
spokes.  If  them  women  had  n't  come 's 
they  did,  he'd  er  had  time  to  er  got  er 
rim  on." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  81 

"If  you  say  another  word  1*11  thrash 
you  ! ' '  refreshingly  said  Mr.  Ayer. 

Yes,  it  is  a  great  thing  to  be  a  man. 
How  we  would  have  liked  to  be  able 
to  tell  Alick,  in  a  bass  voice,  that  we 
would  thrash  him !  Nay,  I  will  go 
further ;  how  we  would  have  liked  to 
execute  that  threat  ! 

We  turned  with  gratitude  to  our  pre- 
server, and  he  suggested  that  we  might 
better  see  what  there  was  in  that  paper. 
Had  anybody  served  any  kind  of  a  writ 
on  us  ? 

Amabel  opened  the  paper.  It  was 
written  in  a  handwriting  so  very  ornate 
as  to  remind  one  of  a  writing-master's 
work.  It  began  :  — 

"  To  two  ladies  supposed  to  be  staying 
at  Mr.  Ayer's,  in  Limestone  Township." 

When  Amabel  had  read  these  opening 
words  we  all  clustered  eagerly  about  her. 
6 


82  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 


A  BILL  OF  PARTICULARS  FOR  DAMAGES. 

To  two  rolls  of  jean  which  were 
tumbled    from    the    counter    at 
store,  and  which  fell  into  a  pool 
of  kerosene  and  were  soaked  so 
that  they  are  nearly  a  dead  loss.      $7-10 
To  eight  white  plates  at   10  cents          .80 
To    three    kerosene    lamps    at    85 

cents 2'55 

To  four  bowls  at  15  cents  ...  .60 

To  miscellaneous  damage  in  a  gen- 
eral way,  and  to  shutting  off 
custom  for  one  hour  .  .  .  5.00 

Total $16.05 

When  Amabel  had  finished  reading 
this  we  all  looked  at  each  other.  Then 
Mr.  Ayer  said,  "  Thunder  ! ' '  reached 
out  his  hand  and  took  the  paper.  It 
was  from  Mr.  Blank,  the  proprietor  of 
the  store  where  we  had  waited  for  Alick 
to  come  and  take  us  to  the  mountain. 
Mr.  Ayer  read  it  aloud  again.  After 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  83 

this  second  reading  he  turned  and  asked 
why  we  had  been  so  very  destructive 
while  we  waited  at  Mr.  Blank's.  Would 
it  not  have  been  enough  for  us  to  have 
broken  a  few  plates  and  bowls  ?  Could 
we  not  have  been  satisfied  without  soak- 
ing jean  in  coal  oil  ?  Really  our  pro- 
gress was  like  that  of  an  army.  When 
he  had  spoken  thus  far,  Mr.  Ayer 
laughed  so  loud  and  so  long  that  I  could 
hardly  forgive  him.  Still  — 

Amabel  became  tragic.  She  struck  her 
hands  together.  She  cried  out,  — 

"It  is  the  redbird!  " 

And  then  she  was  made  to  tell  mi- 
nutely the  particulars  of  what  had  hap- 
pened while  we  tried  to  catch  the  bird. 
At  the  end  she  owned  that  she  would  not 
go  through  that  scene  again  for  more  than 
$16.05.  She  went  so  far  as  to  say 
that  she  did  not  know  that  any  amount 


84  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

of  money  could  tempt  her  to  suffer  what 
she  suffered  while  she  was  trying  to 
"swarm"  up  the  walls  of  that  store. 
"And  if  Mr.  Blank  feels  in  the  same 
way,  I  think  five  dollars  for  'miscella- 
neous damages'  a  mere  trifle." 

When  she  had  finished  speaking  thus, 
Mr.  Ayer,  whose  face  was  very  red, 
began  again  to  roar  with  laughter.  We 
had  not  known  before  that  he  was  such 
a  rude  man.  We  wondered  how  Mrs. 
Ayer  could  have  married  him.  Still  — 

When  the  gentleman  could  articulate 
he  turned  sharply  upon  Alick,  who  stood 
with  open  mouth  and  staring  eyes. 

"  You  go  home,"  he  said.  "  When 
I  have  time  I  '11  go  down  to  the  Junction, 
but  we  sh'an't  pay  you  any  more  money." 

Alick  mounted  his  carriage,  and  as  he 
did  so  we  heard  him  say  something  about 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  85 

Mr.  Ayer  again  read  what  he  called 
our  "bill  of  particulars."  It  was  very- 
strange  that  he  should  wish  to  read  that 
so  many  times. 

"  Blank's  nephew,  who  goes  to  school 
in  Asheville,  must  have  composed  and 
written  this,"  remarked  Mr.  Ayer.  "If 
you  think  you  really  owe  Blank  some 
compensation,  I'll  go  down  and  offer 
him  ten  dollars."  He  looked  at  his 
wife.  "  By  George,  Mary,  we  can't  be 
thankful  enough  that  the  bird  didn't 
reach  our  house  !  " 

Upon  this  Mr.  Ayer  went  off  into 
another  fit  of  laughter.  It  really  was 
astonishing  what  our  friend  could  have 
seen  in  him  to  make  her  marry  him. 

"  When  you  have  laughed  quite  enough 
at  our  misfortunes,  Mr.  Ayer, ' '  said  Ama- 
bel, with  great  frigidity  —  here  Mr.  Ayer 
became  perfectly  solemn  —  "  perhaps  you 


86  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

will  listen  while  I  say  that  if  you  will 
settle  with  Mr.  Blank,  even  to  the  full 
amount  of  his  bill,  we  shall  be  so  thank- 
ful to  you." 

"  All  right,"  was  the  cheerful  response. 
( f  I  '11  get  you  off  for  ten  dollars ;  see  if  I 
don't." 

In  the  evening,  while  Mr.  Ayer  sat 
reading  the  papers  he  had  procured  from 
the  Busbee  post-office  that  day,  he  was 
continually  indulging  in  silent  bursts  of 
laughter,  which  he  tried  to  conceal  by 
holding  a  newspaper  before  his  face. 
We  had  never  before  met  so  hilarious  a 
man.  His  wife  looked  at  him  with  a 
preternatural  solemnity.  Amabel  said  it 
must  be  very  exhilarating  to  have  so 
cheerful  a  companion,  and  she  supposed 
Mary  never  became  tired  of  seeing  him 
sit  and  shake  like  that. 

When  we  said  good-night  to  Mr.  Ayer 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  87 

he  made  this  very  irrelevant  remark 
to  us  : 

"  I  've  had  such  fun  that  I  am  willing 
to  pay  the  ten  dollars  out  of  my  own 
pocket. " 

"I  'm  sure,"  returned  Amabel,  in  her 
most  distant  manner,  "  that  I  don't  know 
to  what  ten  dollars  you  refer." 

"Oh,  Lord!"  said  Mr.  Ayer,  as 
well  as  he  could  speak  for  laughing. 


88  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 


CHAPTER   VI 

Poor   Whites  on  the  Mountains 

IT  was  the  third  day  after  our  arrival 
at  the  cabin  on  the  mountains. 
We  had  been  out  all  the  morning 
and  had  traversed  the  valley  which  lies 
between  our  "own  mountain"  and 
Busbee.  But  we  had  been  careful  to 
keep  in  sight  a  certain  tall  pine  with  a 
tufted  top  that  stood  back  of  the  Ayer 
house.  We  had  enjoyed  all  the  experi- 
ence of  being  lost  which  we  desired. 
Besides  having  the  tree  for  a  landmark  we 
had  with  us  three  dogs ;  we  felt  well  pro- 
tected, and  tolerably  sure  that  they  would 
know  how  to  reach  home,  if  we  should 
not.  We  had  climbed  and  had  slid, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  89 

rather  than  walked,  down  pitches;  we 
had  crossed  three  branches,  or  one  branch 
three  times,  we  were  not  certain  which. 
The  air  was  thrillingly  sweet,  while  it 
was  also  stimulating.  We  had  recalled  all 
the  descriptions  of  these  North  Carolina 
mountains,  and  had  agreed  as  to  the  su- 
preme folly  of  them  all.  They  are  as  far 
beyond  words  as  that  benignly  vivid  sky 
is  beyond  a  painter's  power.  One  may 
feel,  however,  if  one  cannot  portray. 

Amabel,  who  is  a  great  scoffer  at  all 
approach  to  sentiment,  even  when  it 
be  not  sentimentality,  had  become  so 
affected  by  her  surroundings  as  to  quote 
poetry.  She  had  just  said  that  there  was 

"  A  distant  dearness  in  the  hill, 
A  secret  sweetness  in  the  stream,'* 

when  a  horse  came  slowly  walking  down 
the  slope  opposite  us,  on  the  farther  side 


90  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

of  the  branch.  Buster  dashed  forward 
and  swam  the  stream,  Tip  followed  him, 
but  little  Bull,  who  had  been  allowed  by 
Tip  to  go  on  the  excursion,  remained  on 
our  side  of  the  bank  and  barked  convul- 
sively. We  stood  still  and  looked,  for 
the  horse  bore  two  riders,  two  little  girls, 
the  one  in  front  sitting  on  a  saddle  so 
much  in  tatters  that  it  was  wonderful  how 
it  was  fastened,  the  one  behind  astride 
with  her  arms  round  her  companion. 
Both  children  were  looking  at  us  with  so 
absorbed  a  gaze  that  the  horse  was  left  to 
take  care  of  itself,  which  it  did  by  walk- 
ing into  the  middle  of  the  stream  and 
there  pausing  to  drink.  Buster  and  Tip 
splashed  and  barked  in  the  water  with 
great  demonstrations  of  joy.  The  girls 
were  of  the  same  size,  were  dressed  alike 
in  dark  calico  frocks,  red  "tires,"  and 
white  sun-bonnets.  They  looked  remark- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  91 

ably  tidy.  Their  faces,  seen  now,  were 
precisely  alike.  Of  course,  they  must  be 
the  twins  ;  they  must  be  on  their  way  to 
Mrs.  Ayer's.  Their  whole  existence  for 
the  present  was  merged  in  a  stare  at  us. 
That  stare  opened  not  only  their  pale- 
blue  eyes,  but  their  mouths  ;  it  prevented 
them  from  noticing  the  demonstrative 
dogs.  At  last  the  horse  lifted  its  head  and 
walked  to  the  bank,  which  was  here  quite 
steep.  While  the  steed  scrambled  up,  its 
riders  continued  their  unswerving  gaze. 
We  advanced,  and  the  horse  stopped  that 
it  might  crop  some  green  leaves. 

"I  suppose  you  are  the  twins?"  said 
Amabel. 

"  Yes-um,"  said  they  in  unison. 

"  I  suppose  you  are  going  to  Mrs. 
Ayer's?" 

"  Yes-um,"  said  they. 

"  You  have  been  visiting  on  Busbee?  " 


92  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Yes-urn." 

"  Did  you  have  a  good  time  ?  " 

"  Yes-urn. " 

Perhaps  Amabel  felt  at  this  point  that 
the  conversation  was  not  sufficiently  varied, 
for  she  became  silent.  The  horse  con- 
tinued to  eat,  the  twins  continued  to  look. 
I  now  said  that  Mrs.  Ayer  had  been 
expecting  them  the  day  before,  and  they 
responded  "Yes-um."  I  remarked  that 
the  dogs  were  glad  to  see  them,  and  they, 
not  glancing  at  the  dogs,  said  "  Yes-urn.'* 

The  gravity  of  the  children's  faces 
appeared  to  be  very  deep.  They  had 
that  preternatural  solemnity  which  is  never 
seen  save  on  a  child's  countenance. 
Their  manner  and  voice,  even  their  very 
stare,  were  so  intensely  respectful  as  to 
be  almost  flattering.  It  did  not  seem  to 
me  that  we  had  ever  excited  so  much 
respect  before,  and  naturally  we  felt 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  93 

kindly  disposed  toward  the  children. 
They  did  not  seem  to  have  any  idea  of 
going  on,  and  we  at  last  requested  them 
to  ride  forward,  and  we  would  follow. 
They  obeyed  us,  and  we  heard  them 
chattering  to  each  other  as  we  walked 
behind.  Their  little  sun-bonnets  were 
frequently  turned  in  our  direction,  but 
nothing  more  was  said  until  we  reached 
the  cabin.  There  Mrs.  Ayer  came  out. 
The  twins  kissed  her  and  began  instantly 
a  flow  of  talk,  speaking  with  an  in- 
describable intonation,  with  a  curious 
flatness,  and  using  strange  terms  some- 
times. I  immediately  liked  them.  On 
my  expressing  this  feeling  to  Amabel  she 
demurred.  She  astounded  me  by  declar- 
ing her  belief  that  they  were  "under- 
handed" and  "deceitful."  I  did  not 
think  so.  Had  the  respectful  homage  of 
their  manner  affected  my  judgment  ? 


94  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

When  their  bonnets  were  removed  we 
saw  that  their  faces  were  of  no  particular 
color,  with  round,  vacant  eyes,  so  faintly 
tinged  with  blue  as  to  be  almost  white, 
pallid  mouths,  hair  in  its  way  also  almost 
devoid  of  color,  like  well-cured  hay. 
They  were  flat-faced,  or  seemed  to  be. 
When  they  laughed  their  mouths 
stretched,  but  the  laugh  never  affected 
their  eyes.  They  had  stubs  of  hands, 
grimed  deeply  as  if  the  grime  had  been 
a  birth-mark  never  to  be  removed.  The 
only  difference  in  their  appearance  was 
that  one  had  more  widely-opened  eyes, 
and  she  was  Ella,  the  other  was  Ellen. 

They  were  very  voluble  with  Mrs. 
Ayer,  but  also  very  respectful.  They 
expressed  deep  regret  that  they  had  not 
taken  their  "learnin'-book "  to  their 
aunt's,  and  so  kept  up  their  lessons,  for 
now  Dee  would  be  ahead  of  them. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  95 

"And  Dee,"  said  Ellen  hurriedly, 
<fhe  don't  know  nawthin'  of  hisself; 
but  I  reckon  he  's  gurt  er  head  of  us  in  his 
learnin' -book  now." 

Ella  quickly  repeated  what  her  sister 
had  said.  They  spoke  as  if  in  a  hurry, 
and  breathed  rapidly.  They  seemed  to 
fill  the  little  cabin  as  with  a  dozen  people. 
They  hugged  each  one  of  the  dogs  ;  if 
one  said  anything  the  other  invariably  said 
it  after  her.  The  interior  of  the  house 
immediately  had  an  effect  as  if  a  great 
wind  were  blowing  in  it  and  hustling 
everything.  They  began  to  help  about 
getting  dinner.  They  mixed  a  pone  and 
set  it  down  in  its  kettle  by  the  fire  ;  they 
called  it  "making  bread."  In  doing 
this  they  scattered  meal  all  over  the 
house,  and  they  rattled  the  hot  coals  on 
to  the  floor  when  they  settled  the  kettle. 
Ella  poked  the  coals,  and  then  Ellen 


96   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

poked  them.  Ellen,  on  being  told,  took 
a  broom  to  sweep  up  the  meal  and  she 
diffused  it  yet  more  widely  over  the  room. 
They  always  dropped  every  utensil  at 
least  once  before  being  able  to  use  it; 
then  the  other  would  say,  "Thur  now! 
See  what  you  've  durn  !  " 

They  rattled,  banged,  pervaded,  talked, 
laughed,  were  constantly  at  work  ;  they 
grabbed  at  the  dirtiest  things  with  entire 
good  humor.  They  listened  when  you 
tried  to  teach  them  to  be  gentle,  and  said, 
"  Yes-urn,' '  as  if  your  words  would  have 
effect  ;  they  seemed  to  try,  but  they  did 
not  succeed.  It  was  one  of  their  duties 
to  see  that  there  was  plenty  of  wood  for 
the  fire.  This  first  night  they  forgot  this 
until  they  were  cuddled  on  the  broad 
lounge  where  they  both  slept.  All  at 
once  they  sprang  up  with  the  suddenness  of 
a  whirlwind,  rushed  out  of  doors  in  their 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  97 

night-gowns  and  returned  laden  with  wood, 
which  they  flung  furiously  down  on  the 
floor  by  the  chimney. 

"I  done  furgot  ter  tote  that  wood," 
said  Ella  in  explanation  of  this  sudden 
movement,  and  Ellen  immediately  added 
that  she  "done  furgot  ter  tote  that 
wood." 

They  each  insisted  upon  having  a  dog 
to  sleep  with  her.  Ella  had  Tip  and 
Ellen  had  Buster.  When  they  were  all 
on  the  lounge  that  article  of  furniture  was 
entirely  appropriated. 

For  twenty-four  hours  after  their  return 
Amabel  and  I  told  each  other  many  times 
that  this  exuberance  on  the  part  of  the 
twins  was  probably  caused  by  some  cause 
which  would  soon  be  removed,  and  then 
they  would  become  more  calm.  We 
thought  that  either  they  would  become 
calm  or  we  should  become  insane. 
7 


98   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Ayer  confided  to  us  her  belief 
that  if  a  person  were  intending  to  adopt 
poor  white  twins  that  person  should 
secure  a  large  mansion  with  thick  walls. 
She  said  dejectedly  that  a  two-roomed 
cabin  was  not  large  enough  for  poor  white 
twins.  (( And  it  seems  strange,"  she 
added,  "  that  children  who  have  lived  in 
a  hut  of  ten  or  twelve  feet  square  should 
require  so  much  space.  It  may,  however, 
be  owing  to  a  natural  expansion.'*  The 
speaker  looked  at  us  wistfully.  "  Do 
you  think/'  she  asked,  "that  the  expan- 
sion will  continue  indefinitely  ?  I  took 
them  from  purely  benevolent  motives  ;  I 
thought  I  might  bring  them  up  to  be 
respectable  women,  and  I  knew  they 
would  not  be  respectable  unless  some  one 
was  actively  concerned  for  them.  Now, 
I  am  afraid  that,  deep  in  my  heart  I  had 
a  sneaking  belief  that  my  benevolence 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  99 

would  be  rewarded  in  some  way  ;  that 
these  children  would  show  a  trifle  or" 
gratitude,  for,  though  our  home  cannot 
be  called  luxurious,  it  is  palatial  in  com- 
parison with  any  surroundings  to  which 
they  are  accustomed." 

"And  they  are  not  grateful?"  we 
asked. 

"  Not  a  bit.  I  have  felt  from  them  a 
hundred  times  that  they  have  a  longing 
for  the  squalor  of  their  old  life,  or  at  least, 
for  their  old  companions.  They  have 
never  said  a  word  nor  looked  a  look  to 
that  effect,  but  I  have  felt  it.  Oh,  I  tell 
you,  they  are  little  mysteries.  They 
seem  cheerful ;  if  asked  if  they  are  con- 
tented they  promptly  say  '  Yes-um  '  ; 
they  will  join  me  in  deprecating  the  life 
that  is  lived  by  such  people  as  their 
mother  and  sister.  They  know  fearful 
things  of  life,  things  that  make  you  shudder. 


ioo  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Sometimes,  unknown  by  them,  I  get  a 
glimpse  into  their  minds,  and  I  am  sick. 
There  is  filth  in  their  thoughts.  Good 
Heavens  !  I  have  cried  my  eyes  out 
trying  to  think  how  I  could  save 
them  !  " 

Mrs.  Ayer  was  getting  excited.  She 
rose  from  her  chair  and  began  walking  up 
and  down  the  room. 

"I  want  to  save  them,"  she  ex- 
claimed. "  They  are  all  ready  to  be 
wicked  now.  What  do  you  think  we 
should  be  if  we  had  in  us  the  blood  of 
generations  of  such  depraved  ancestors  ? 
The  mother  of  these  twins  has  never 
had  a  husband,  but  a  succession  of  men 
have  occupied  her  cabin  with  her.  An 
elder  sister  is  an  abandoned  woman  in 
Asheville,  and  sometimes  she  makes  a 
visit  to  the  hut  on  the  mountain  here. 
These  children  know  all  about  their 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    101 

mother  and  their  sister,  and  they  are  not 
shocked  by  the  knowledge.  Have  you 
any  idea  what  these  mountain  people 
are  ?  I  had  n't  until  I  came  here  to  live. 
Of  course  I  had  read  about  them.  Does 
Miss  Murfree  know  ?  Are  those  people 
over  on  the  Tennessee  side  different  from 
the  men  and  women  here  ?  She  has  a 
glamour,  a  mist  from  her  much-described 
hills  and  valleys,  that  obscures  clear  sight. 
I  see  no  such  characters.  I  see  vile, 
low,  licentious,  sly  people,  and  they  are 
singularly  devoid  of  any  capability  to 
understand  anything  different  from  them- 
selves. Of  course  that  is  natural.  There 
isn't  a  person  on  these  mountains  that 
does  not  think  we  took  the  twins  to  have 
them  hoe  corn  and  potatoes  for  us. 
When  I  was  explaining  to  our  next 
neighbor,  he  leered  and  winked,  and 
said  he  thought  we  had  done  a  good 


IO2   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

thing,  for  'the  gals  could  hoe  now  as 
well  as  a  nigger.'  I  did  not  say  any 
more.  I  was  disgusted.  Those  chil- 
dren affect  me  in  the  strongest  way.  I 
have  a  pitying  affection  for  them  that 
wrings  my  heart.  Sometimes  I  think 
they  love  me  a  little,  but  I  am  not  sure. 
They  seem  to  want  to  be  helpful;  they 
will  work  half  a  day  like  small  slaves ; 
but  their  way  of  working  is  a  kind  of 
way  suitable  to  savages,  and  they  are  not 
quick  to  learn  most  things.  They  are 
quick  to  learn  evil,  though,  —  not  a  bold 
wickedness  that  can  be  forgiven,  but  a 
cunning,  permeating,  low-down  kind  of 
evil,  that  makes  me  despair." 

Mrs.  Ayer  paused  a  moment.  From 
farther  up  the  hill  came  the  sound  of 
shrieks  of  children  and  the  excited  barking 
of  dogs. 

"  They  are  coming  back  from  the 
spring,"  she  said. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    103 

We  went  to  the  door,  which  opened  to 
the  north. 

The  twins  were  just  coming  down  from 
the  brow  of  the  mountain.  They  car- 
ried a  large  bucket  of  water  between 
them,  the  dogs  were  careering,  and  a 
little  in  the  rear,  standing  full  up  against 
the  blue  sky,  and  looking  immensely  tall, 
was  a  figure  in  a  gown,  apparently,  and 
a  sun-bonnet.  In  another  moment  Ris- 
tus  had  descended  so  that  the  mountain 
was  his  background.  He  also  bore  a 
pail  of  water. 

"  I  suppose  I  have  been  too  sweeping 
in  my  remarks,"  said  Mrs.  Ayer.  "  My 
husband  says  women  always  are.  But 
you  stay  here  six  months  and  then  tell  me 
what  you  think." 

Twins  and  dogs  came  flying  down  the 
rough  path,  the  water  splashing  from 
their  pail.  Presently  one  of  them  hit 


104  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

her  toe  and  fell,  the  other  on  top  of  her, 
the  water  over  them  both.  More  screams 
and  scrambling,  and  dogs  flying  about,  in 
the  midst  of  which  Ristus  arrived  at  the 
scene  of  disaster.  He  put  down  his  own 
pail  and  lifted  the  sprawling  and  dripping 
twins  to  their  feet.  Then  they  all  came 
on,  not  disheartened  in  the  least.  They 
would  have  to  go  up  one  hill  and  down 
another  to  the  hollow  where  the  spring 
was  in  an  old  field,  and  get  more  water. 
But  what  of  that  ?  It  would  put  off  the 
washing  of  dishes  still  longer ;  and  I  do 
not  suppose  the  twins,  any  more  than 
children  of  a  higher  grade,  like  to  wash 
dishes.  As  for  me,  I  feel  that  I  can  for- 
give a  child  a  good  deal  of  shirking  if  it 
be  done  to  delay  or  to  get  rid  of  this 
kind  of  work.  I  remember  my  own 
childhood. 

The     twins     precipitated     themselves 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    105 

toward  Mrs.  Ayer.  They  always  had 
the  effect  of  hurling  or  precipitating  them- 
selves instead  of  walking. 

They  had  been  taught  to  call  their 
friend  "Aunt  Mary,"  and  they  now 
began  a  babble  of  explanations  and  apolo- 
gies concerning  the  accident  we  had  just 
witnessed,  mingled  with  offers  to  go  to 
the  spring  and  fill  the  pail  again.  They 
said  their  clothes  would  dry  on  the 
way. 

Meanwhile  Ristus  had  put  his  bucket 
on  the  ground  and  had  seated  himself  on 
the  chopping-block  a  few  rods  away. 
He  was  evidently  warm,  for  he  removed 
his  sun-bonnet  and  held  it  in  his  hand. 

Amabel  and  I  lost  no  time  in  hurrying 
out  to  see  Ristus  uncovered. 

Had  not  some  one  told  us  that  he 
had  an  "ideal  head"  ?  But  we  were 
far  from  being  prepared  for  what  we 


io6   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

saw,  and  it  seemed  impossible  that  this 
face  and  head  could  belong  to  a  rough 
fellow  who  said  "  Naw  "  for  "  No,"  and 
who  slouched  and  was  a  glutton. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   107 

CHAPTER   VII 

Ristus  and  Ole  Pink's  Baby. 

RISTUS  continued  sitting  on  the 
chopping-block  as  we  ap- 
peared. The  whole  com- 
pany of  dogs  were  clustered  about  him, 
but  he  was  paying  no  attention  to 
them.  He  was  paying  no  attention  to 
anything.  His  appearance  was  that  of  an 
entirely  blank  calm,  his  hand  resting 
placidly  by  his  side  and  his  face  being 
turned  toward  the  grand  outline  of  Mount 
Pisgah.  Did  he  see  it  ?  Did  he  know 
he  was  living  in  the  midst  of  unspeakable 
magnificence  ?  If  this  youth  had  had  a 
stolid,  ugly  face,  like  that  belonging  to 
Alick  at  the  Junction,  we  should  never 


io8    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

have  thought  of  questioning  if  he  cared 
for  the  beauty  at  which  he  was  gazing. 
But  because  Ristus  had  a  lovely  face  we 
unreasonably  felt  that  he  must  appreciate 
loveliness.  It  was  not  logical  to  arrive  at 
such  a  conclusion,  but  it  was  natural. 

The  boy,  sitting  there  in  his  grotesque 
old  coat,  which  was  held  together  by 
white  twine,  was  a  picture  to  be  remem- 
bered. Light  hair  rolled  down  in  rich 
waves  from  the  centre  of  the  head  to  far 
below  the  throat  ;  his  face  was  fair  as 
that  of  a  blonde  woman  is  fair,  thanks 
either  to  some  natural  power  it  had  to 
resist  the  action  of  wind  and  sun,  or  to 
the  protection  of  the  sun-bonnet.  Thick 
yellow-brown  eyebrows  made  a  straight 
line  over  long  eyes  that  were  of  that  yel- 
lowish dull  color  one  sees  sometimes  at 
the  bottom  of  still,  clear  pools  when  the 
sun  shines  on  the  water.  Strange  eyes, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    109 

whose  only  expression  now  was  one  of 
childish  calm.  For  the  rest,  the  boy 
had  a  straight  nose,  a  weak-looking,  very 
scarlet  mouth,  and  delicate,  retreating 
chin,  with  a  pretty  cleft  down  the  mid- 
dle of  it.  His  face  seemed  to  be  clean, 
but  his  hands  had  the  look  of  hands 
which  have  never  been  thoroughly 
washed. 

After  the  first  brief  glance  at  us,  he 
had  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on  Mount 
Pisgah,  and  appeared  to  have  forgotten 
that  we  were  present.  As  his  aspect 
was  not  forbidding,  we  ventured  to 
address  him. 

"  Have  you  always  lived  here,  Ristus  ?  " 

"  Ever  since  I  come,"  was  the  reply. 
Ristus  turned  his  head  toward  us  with  a 
neutral  gaze  in  his  eyes. 

"  And  when  did  you  come  ?  " 

"Dunno." 


no   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Then  you  don't  remember  being 
anywhere  else?  " 

"Naw'm." 

"Is  that  woman  your  mother?"  re- 
ferring to  the  woman  who  had  fed  us 
when  we  had  been  lost. 

"  I  reckon  she  must  be,  fur  she  gives 
me  my  eatin's.  Yer  don't  reckon,  do 
yer,  as  a  'oman  'd  give  a  feller  his  eatin's, 
'thout  she  war  his  mother  ?  But  I  ain't 
heard  noan  say  ef  she  war  my  mother,  or 
efshe  wa'n't." 

After  this  answer  we  kept  silence  for  a 
few  moments,  and  all  looked  at  the 
mountains.  The  dogs  noticed  us  very 
little.  They  were  constantly  jumping 
up  to  beseech  Ristus  to  give  them 
attention. 

He  was  the  first  to  speak  again,  very 
unexpectedly  to  us. 

"Mabbe,"  he  said  reflectively,  "she 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    in 

mought  be  my  sister  ;  do  yer  reckon  as 
she  mought  be  that,  now  ?  " 

"  Hardly/'  we  said. 

He  clasped  his  hands  together  and  held 
them  out  before  him  as  if  he  were  entreat- 
ing something  or  somebody. 

"  I  've  dreamt  about  er  sister,  I  have,'* 
he  said.  "  But  she  wa'n't  no  ways  like 
Ole  Pink  ;  no  ways.  Thur  sister  as  I 
dreampt  'bout  wur  kind  er  shinin',  an' 
lurvely,  an'  white,  an'  —  what  do  yer 
think  ?  —  she  bent  down  out  er  er  white 
cloud  an'  kissed  me.  I  've  dreamt  that- 
a-way  er  power  er  times,  an'  when  she 
kisses  me,  I  allers  wake  urp.  So,  yer 
see,  I'd  ruther  she  would  n't  kiss  me, 
'cas,  yer  see,  then  she  melts  erway,  an'  I 
git  awake.  Over  y an,  now,"  he  pointed 
to  a  brilliant  opening  between  two 
mountains,  where  a  diaphanous  white 
cloud  was  floating,  "  yan  be  whar  I 


ii2  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

reckon  she  lives,  in  that  thur  cloud. 
Yer  see  it." 

We  nodded.      He  continued  :  — 

"So  I  don't  really  reckon  as  Ole  Pink 
kin  be  my  sister,  though  mabbe  she  be 
my  mother.  Ole  Pink,  some  ways,  don't 
'pear  like  one  as  would  ever  be  er  ridin' 
on  a  pooty  cloud,  now,  do  she  ?  " 

"  No,  no  !  "  we  exclaimed,  perhaps 
too  forcibly. 

He  seemed  relieved  that  we  were  so 
emphatic.  In  his  mind,  it  was  evident, 
there  was  a  strong  desire  that  Ole  Pink 
should  not  be  his  sister.  He  did  not 
seem  disposed  to  talk  any  more  just 
then.  We  asked  him  if  he  were  work- 
ing for  Mr.  Penland  to-day,  and  he  said, 
"  Naw'm."  He  picked  up  his  sun- 
bonnet,  but  he  held  it  in  his  hand. 
Buster  now  succeeded  in  getting  on  the 
chopping-block  with  Ristus,  and  in  bal- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  113 

ancing  himself  in  a  sitting  position  there. 
Ristus  put  his  arm  about  the  dog,  and 
Buster  looked  down  at  the  other  three 
canines  with  a  great  deal  of  good- 
natured  triumph  in  his  face,  while  Tip 
and  Little  Bull  made  ineffectual  attempts 
to  dislodge  him  and  get  his  place. 

"I  lurv  dogs/*  said  Ristus,  as  if 
addressing  the  nearest  mountain.  But 
he  turned  to  us  as  he  remarked  :  — 

"  They  be  nearer  humans  nor  humans 
be  theirselves,  I  reckon.  Dogs  sorter 
gits  inter  yer,  somehow,  inter  yer  feelin's, 
as  humans  don*  t.  I  *  ve  reckoned  a  power 
er  times  as  I  wa'n't  er  human,  myself. 
'Tain't  no  great  ter  be  er  human." 

Ristus  carefully  lifted  Buster  to  the 
ground,  put  on  his  bonnet  and  walked 
down  the  path.  He  had  not  gone  far 
before  the  twins  burst  out  of  the  house. 
They  were  in  clean,  dry  gowns.  They 


ii4  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

ran  screaming  toward  the  boy.  They 
called  to  him  to  come  back  and  go 
to  the  spring  with  them  again.  He 
obeyed,  and  we  saw  the  three  children  and 
the  four  dogs  go  up  the  path. 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  Ris- 
tus,"  said  Mrs.  Ayer,  "that  is,  no  more 
than  you  know.  His  origin  is  shrouded 
in  mystery,  as  they  say  in  novels.  He 
may  turn  out  to  be  the  son  of  a  prince. 
There  is  something  strange  about  him. 
He  gets  his  meals  mostly  at  Ole  Pink's. 
Oh,  dear,  no,  of  course,  she  is  n't  his 
mother.  I  don't  know  where  he  sleeps. 
Nobody  knows.  Twice,  however,  he 
has  slept  in  our  '  roughness '  up  there  by 
the  corn  barn.  That  was  in  the  summer. 
Has  he  not  a  poet's  head  ?  If  I  could 
paint,  I  would  put  his  vignette  in  the 
midst  of  some  water-lilies.  Odd,  isn't 
it,  but  I  always  paint  him,  mentally, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   115 

with  water-lilies  about  his  head.  He  is 
not  like  the  others  here  ;  he  is  n't  vile. 
What  else  he  is,  I  leave  you  to  discover. 
I  have  the  twins  to  study,  and  I  find 
them  quite  sufficient  to  occupy  my 
mind." 

Since  the  twins  have  arrived,  there 
seems  to  be  less  room  than  ever  in  the 
cabin,  and  when  they  are  in  it  we  try  to 
be  out  of  it,  as  much  as  we  can.  The 
weather  is  a  continued,  glorified  kind  of 
an  Indian  summer.  Why  should  one 
stay  in  the  house  and  hear  the  hubbub  of 
the  twins,  when,  by  strolling  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  down  the  mountain,  one  comes  to 
a  nook  whence  one  may  gaze  on  the 
silently  rolling  French  Broad,  with 
giants  clustering  their  tall,  wooded  heads 
everywhere  ?  No,  we  have  stopped 
between  four  walls  very  little  of  our 
time  thus  far.  When  we  walked  out  this 


n6  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

morning  the  twins  were  scraping  frying- 
pans,  banging  pots  and  kettles  together, 
and  crashing  plates  and  cups  and  saucers 
against  each  other.  In  brief,  they  were 
washing  dishes,  chattering  shrilly,  and 
breathing  in  quick  pants.  Mrs.  Ayer 
said  that  it  would  be  but  a  little  time 
longer  that  they  would  be  obliged  to 
wash  dishes,  for  all  her  crockery  would 
shortly  be  broken.  Upon  this,  the  twins 
cried  out  to  know  what  she  meant. 

"I'm  sure,  Aunt  Mary,"  cried  Ella, 
and  Ellen  after  her,  in  the  same  words, 
"  we-uns  ain't  broke  noan  only  jis  what 
kinder  slipped,  yer  know,  and  kinder 
smashed,  yer  know.  An*  Aunt  Mary, 
most  of  hit  war  Buster's  fault,  or  Tip's 
fault,  er  gettin'  'tween  our  legs,  an'  er 
urpsettin'  us,  Aunt  Mary." 

We  left  them  explaining  whose  fault  it 
was.  We  had  not  gone  far  before  Ellen 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   117 

and  Ella  called  after  us  from  the  wood 
pile  :  — 

"Aunt  Mary  wants  ter  know  do  yer 
want  them  fysts  with  yer  ?  They  wants 
ter  go." 

"The  fysts  want  to  go,"  said  Ama- 
bel in  an  explanatory  manner  to  me. 
"  It  is  a  dictionary  word ;  you  ought  to 
understand  it  ?" 

I  confessed  that  I  did  not  know  all 
dictionary  words  ;  and  then  she  confessed 
that  she  had  only  known  since  yesterday 
that  fysts  were  little  dogs.  Yes,  by  all 
means,  we  would  have  the  little  dogs  ; 
and  they  immediately  shot  forth  from  the 
opened  door  of  the  cabin,  and  we  all  went 
on.  Having  learned  something  about  the 
tangle  of  misleading  cart  tracks  through 
the  woods,  we  took  the  direction  of  Ole 
Pink's  cabin.  We  were  going  to  carry 
our  offering  to  her  in  exchange  for  the 


n8  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

kindness  she  had  shown  us  when   Alick 
had  forsaken   us. 

The  cabin  door  was  open,  but  we 
heard  no  sound  from  within.  We  stood 
at  the  entrance  and  looked,  while  the 
"  fysts  "  ran  in  and  began  to  nose  about. 
There  was  a  faint  glow  of  coals  on  the 
hearth.  The  black-and-white  dog  rose 
up,  growling,  the  hair  standing  straight 
along  its  back.  In  the  dusk  we  dis- 
covered that  there  were  two  forms  on  the 
bed  on  the  floor,  a  long  shape,  and  a  short 
one.  Of  course,  they  were  Ole  Pink  and 
her  baby.  As  we  advanced  into  the 
room,  the  long  shape  rose  and  it  was  not 
Ole  Pink,  but  Ristus  in  his  army  coat. 
He  held  up  his  hand  at  us  and  made 
a  hushing  sound  between  his  teeth  ;  then 
he  led  us  outside  the  house.  His  hair 
was  tumbled  across  his  eyes,  and  he  had 
an  anxious  look. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   119 

"  Yer  mought  wake  her,  yer  know," 
he  said,  when  we  were  all  beside  the  ash- 
hopper,  and  he  felt  it  safe  to  speak. 
"  She  's  done  gone  ter  sleep,  yer  know." 

"  The  baby,  you  mean  ? ' ' 

He  nodded. 

«  But  where  >s  Old  Pink  ? " 

"  Dunno." 

He  brushed  his  hair  from  his  forehead 
before  he  said  : 

"  I  ain't  seen  Ole  Pink  sence  er  nour 
by  sun  this  mawnin'.  I  come  fur  my 
breakfus',  an*  she  war  a  gwine  jis  then. 
She  reckoned  she  'd  go  Shiloh  way ;  she 
reckoned  she  mought  go  ter  preachin* 
'fore  she  come  back.  She  reckoned  ef  I 
war  er  mine  ter  I  mought  tek  care  the 
babby,  or  ef  I  wa'  n't  er  mine  ter,  she 
said  it  mought  git  'long  's  it  could,  fur 
she  war  sick  of  bein'  tied  to  hit.  So  she 
said." 


I2O   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

We  did  not  know  what  to  say,  and  so 
were  silent.  Ristus  was  tying  some  of 
the  strings  on  his  coat. 

"I  ain't  used  ter  a  babby  much,"  he 
went  on,  "an*  she's  cried  a  mighty 
sight,  an*  she  won't  eat  pone  'thout 
'lasses,  an'  I  ain't  gurt  no  'lasses ;  an' 
she's  gurt  sick  er  fat  meat;  an*  'tain't 
lookin*  as  ef  she  *d  have  a  good  time. 
I  'm  er  prayin'  she  '11  sleep  er  right  smart 
while,  I  am,  an'  when  a  feller  carnt  do 
nawthin*  else,  I  reckon  prayin*  *s  what 
he'd  ought  ter  be  at.  Prayin'  *s  better 
nor  preachin'  I  say.  Ole  Pink '  s  sot 
outer  preachin'.  She  said  she  wished  she 
had  er  pootier  gownd  ter  wear,  fur  she 
mought  be  taken  er  shoutin',  an'  when 
folks  is  taken  er  shoutin'  at  preachin',  she 
said  as  urther  folks  looked  at-um,  an* 
then  wor  thur  time  for  pooty  clo's.  But 
I  dunno." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   121 

Ristus  was  speaking  in  a  half  whisper, 
and  glancing  every  moment  back  at  the 
cabin,  fearing  that  the  child  would  wake. 
The  dogs  were  all  out  with  us,  and  the 
only  living  thing  in  the  hut  was  the 
wretched  morsel  of  humanity  which  had 
been  forsaken  by  its  mother.  Ristus  said 
that  if  "he  durst,  he  would  run  up  ter 
Miss  Ayer's  an*  beg  some  milk  fur  the 
child,  but  he  should  hate  ter  have  it  wake 
an'  not  find  him." 

Hearing  this,  we  volunteered  to  bring 
milk  and  what  else  could  be  spared. 
When  we  returned,  Ristus  was  walking 
in  the  sunlight  before  the  cabin,  carrying 
the  baby  in  his  arms,  his  whole  aspect  one 
of  great  anxiety,  which  feeling  seemed 
relieved  at  sight  of  us. 

There  is  a  difference  in  the  clay  of 
which  we  are  made,  and  this  small 
creature  was  formed  of  the  poorest  kind. 


122   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

She  was  yellow  and  pallid,  and  had  already, 
about  the  wizened  mouth,  a  dreadful  look 
like  her  mother.  We  could  not  tell 
whether  it  were  six  months  or  a  year  old, 
it  was  such  a  stunted,  shrivelled  thing. 
It  drank  the  milk  as  if  it  were  nectar,  and 
then  its  head  sunk  on  the  boy's  shoulder 
and  it  was  asleep  almost  immediately. 

We  said  of  course  Ole  Pink  would 
return  by  night.  The  next  morning 
while  we  were  at  the  breakfast  table,  a 
shadow  passed  by  the  window  and  then 
Ristus  entered.  He  wore  his  sunbonnet 
and  he  had  the  baby  in  his  arms,  and  the 
baby  was  wailing. 

"Where's  that  child's  mother?" 
asked  Mr.  Ayer  sternly. 

"  Dunno,"  was  the  meek  answer. 
"Ter  preachin',  I  reckon." 

"To  preaching,"  repeated  the  gentle- 
man, and  I  thought  from  his  face  he  was 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    123 

going  to  utter  an  oath.  But  he  only 
forcibly  rose  and  brought  out  from  a  closet 
a  large  dish  of  mutton  broth.  "  Some  of 
you  pour  that  into  the  baby,  will  you  ? ' ' 
he  said,  and  slammed  out  of  the  house. 
He  opened  the  door  to  put  in  his  head 
and  say  :  "  Give  Ristus  his  breakfast. ' ' 

It  is  three  days  since  then,  and  Ole 
Pink  has  not  returned.  Some  of  the 
mountain  people  who  have  slouched  into 
the  Ayer  cabin  and  lolled  before  the  fire 
seemed  to  think  it  is  a  joke  that  Ristus 
should  take  care  "erOle  Pink's  young 
*un."  They  said  he  need  not  do  it 
"  'thout  he  had  er  mine  ter.  Ristus 
wa'n't  nawthin'  ;  no  ways." 

Ristus  has  arranged  to  do  chores  for 
Mr.  Ayer,  what  time  he  can  get,  and  in 
payment  he  and  the  baby  are  to  have 
their  "eatin's"  here.  He  comes  early 
in  the  morning.  If  the  child  will  consent, 


124   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

it  is  put  down  on  a  bundle  of  "  rough- 
ness" while  its  guardian  milks.  It  has 
not  sufficient  life  to  be  very  mischievous 
yet,  though  even  now  we  can  see  that  it 
has  improved  with  the  different  food. 

Sometimes  it  falls  over  on  its  back  on 
the  corn  husks,  and  lies  looking  up  at  the 
sky.  It  never  cries  hard,  only  wails. 
It  is  never  out  of  the  boy's  sight.  When 
they  were  here  last  night  the  twins  said 
that  their  sister  said  that  "  Ole  Pink 
could  n't  be  expected  ter  be  tied  urp  ter 
that  thur  brat,  an'  ef  she  war  Ole  Pink, 
she  wouldn't  come  back." 

"  She  never  will  come  back,"  said 
Mrs.  Ayer.  Then  she  looked  at  Ella 
and  Ellen,  and  said  earnestly,  "  But  your 
sister  was  a  wicked  woman  to  speak  like 
that." 

"  Yes-urn,"  said  Ella. 

«« Yes-urn,"  said  Ellen. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   125 

CHAPTER  VIII 
Thur  Case   Hoss 

THE  dogs  were  barking  with 
deafening  persistence.  We 
all  rushed  to  the  stoop  to 
see  a  woman  on  horseback  just  coming 
"  on  to  the  land  "  far  down  the  mountain 
side.  After  great  efforts,  the  animals  were 
quieted  long  enough  for  us  to  hear  in  a 
sharp  and  yet  flat  voice,  the  question 
shouted  up  at  us  : 

"Dogs  bite?" 

Mrs.  Ayer  signalled  that  the  dogs 
didn't  bite  and  that  the  woman  was  to 
come  on.  As  she  drew  nearer,  we  saw 
that  the  stranger  wore  a  white  apron  over 
her  print  gown.  We  had  already  observed 


126   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

that  to  wear  a  white  apron  here  is  to  be 
in  the  very  height  of  a  well-dressed  con- 
dition. To  have  on  such  an  article  is  to 
enjoy  that  mental  state  referred  to  by  the 
Boston  woman  who  averred  that  to  be 
well  dressed  brought  a  consolation  which 
religion  failed  to  bestow.  On  the  sallow 
faces  of  these  female  mountaineers  there 
is  a  peculiar  smirk,  a  certain  expression  of 
gratified  vanity,  when  the  white  apron  is 
worn,  and  if  that  portion  of  the  wardrobe 
has  a  small  flounce  at  the  bottom,  then 
the  wearer  is  almost  aggressively  "  set  up  " 
with  her  consciousness  of  fine  apparel.  I 
should  not  dare  to  call  the  person  a  "  poor 
white  "  who  owned  a  white  apron  with 
a  flounce  on  it.  We  have  almost  decided 
in  our  own  minds  that  a  flounced  apron, 
if  it  be  white,  is  the  visible  token  of  the 
line  drawn  between  poor  whites  and 
respectable  farmers.  On  one  side  is 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    127 

squalor,  on  the  other  side  fortune  and 
station. 

"It's  Mrs.  Case  from  over  on  the 
State  Road,"  said  Mrs.  Ayer  ;  "let  us 
hope  she  has  not  come  to  spend  the 
day." 

Mrs.  Case  drew  near,  her  thin,  saffron 
face  very  solemn  in  the  depths  of  her 
white  sunbonnet.  She  nodded  and 
said  :  "  Howdy.  I  hope  you-uns  is  all 
well?" 

Yes,  we  were  all  well.  Mrs.  Ayer 
asked  her  if  she  "wouldn't  Might." 
She  reckoned  she  would.  And  she 
slipped  off  the  saddle,  —  a  man's  saddle. 
Ristus,  who  was  in  the  background  with 
the  twins,  came  forward,  bearing  Ole 
Pink's  baby  over  his  left  shoulder.  He 
led  the  horse  toward  the  barn.  Mrs. 
Case  shook  hands  with  us  all,  slowly 
swinging  our  hands  up  and  down,  as  if 


128   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

she  were  going  through  with  some  kind 
of  a  religious  ceremony  at  which  it 
would  be  improper  to  smile.  She  again 
said  that  she  "hoped  you-uns  is  well/' 
and  we  again  said  that  we  were  well. 

Then  we  all  went  into  the  cabin  and 
sat  down  by  the  hearth.  Mrs.  Ayer 
tried  to  converse,  making  great  efforts  to 
elicit  some  response  from  her  guest,  who 
sat  in  the  best  chair,  with  her  feet  thrust 
out  toward  the  fire  which  smouldered  in 
front  of  her.  She  was  so  quiescent,  not 
to  say  stagnant,  that  Mrs.  Ayer  at  last 
desisted  from  her  arduous  exertion,  and 
we  sat  in  silence,  Mrs.  Case  apparently 
enjoying  her  cud,  or  her  wad  of  snuff, 
with  melancholy  satisfaction.  After  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  she  turned  her  head 
toward  Mrs.  Ayer  and  asked:  — 

"  Air  yo'  well  enough  ?  " 

Mrs.  Ayer   seemed  a   trifle  confused, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   129 

for  she  had  already  told  this  woman 
twice  that  she  was  well.  Did  Mrs. 
Case  suspect  that  we  were  concealing 
some  malady  ?  Our  friend  asserted,  with 
some  emphasis,  that  she  was  in  good 
health;  and  she  added  that  Mr.  Ayer 
was  well ;  also  the  twins,  as  if  she  would 
forestall  any  inquiries  concerning  them. 

Mrs.  Case  leaned  forward. 

"I  seen  thur  twins  ain't  run  away 
yet,"  she  said. 

"  Run  away  ?  "  repeated  Mrs.  Ayer. 

"  Yes-um.  When  they  was  ter  thur 
mill  last  week  they  said  as  they  was  ter 
run  away.  They  said  as  they  did  n't 
have  'nough  ter  eat." 

Mrs.  Ayer  flushed  with  indignation. 
Mrs.  Case  smoothed  her  apron.  Con- 
trary to  the  expectation  of  the  latter, 
Mrs.  Ayer  did  not  pursue  the  subject. 
She  asked  about  Mr.  Case's  crops.  But 
9 


130   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

the  guest  was  not  going  to  talk  about 
crops.  She  said  that  her  husband  did  n't 
plow  so  deep  but  what  his  "  crops  was 
torrable.  He'd  ben  er  breakin'  a  piece 
down  by  thur  river.  When  he  was 
thur,  he  seen  thur  twins  er  talkin'  with 
their  mother.  'T  wa'n't  no  good  fur  um 
ter  talk  with  thur  mother."  Mrs.  Case 
had  heard  that  the  mother  had  ' '  gurt  a 
new  ole  man,"  leaving  us  to  translate  for 
ourselves  this  somewhat  contradictory 
statement,  and  that  they  were  living  a 
"piece  over  toward  Black  Mounting." 
She  reckoned  Mrs.  Ayer  must  be  "  'bout 
ready  ter  git  ketched  of  um." 

She  received  no  reply  to  this  remark, 
and  the  silence  was  so  impressive  that 
even  Mrs.  Case  dropped  the  twins  as  a 
topic  of  conversation. 

Presently  she  resumed  by  saying  that 
she  reckoned  we-uns  had  heard  about  the 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    131 

death  of  her  son-in-law  in  Asheville  last 
week.  She  said  he  wa'n't  nawthin* 
nor  nobody  in  his  life,  but  "  he  died 
rejoicin'."  She  had  an  indescribable 
drawl  upon  the  last  word  of  every  sen- 
tence, and  this  drawl  was  particularly 
noticeable  now  as  she  pronounced  "re- 
joicin' ; "  there  was  a  certain  smack  of 
satisfaction,  too,  in  her  tone,  that  told 
that  she  was  glad  her  daughter's  husband 
was  dead,  and  also  glad  that  he  left  this 
world  rejoicin',  though  he  had  been  no 
good  to  anybody  while  he  had  remained 
in  this  existence. 

«*  We  be  er  gwine  ter  take  our  gal 
home,  an'  the  little  gal,"  she  said. 
"  My  husband  said  he  reckoned  he 
could  get  victuals  'nough.  The  widder, 
—  that 's  my  gal,  —  she  took  it  lighter  'n 
I  was  'fraid  she  mought  "  —  nasal  length- 
ening out  of  "mought,"  and  pious  ele- 


132   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

vation  of  the  eyes.  "  I  thought  I'd  let 
her  go  er  visitin'  so  she  'd  git  ketched  of 
her  sorrer  sooner.  She  '11  come  back 
right  peart,  I  tell  my  old  man.  We 
can't  be  thankful  'nough  that  Bill  he  died 
with  Jesus  in  his  soul.  I  tell  'um  folks 
may  have  er  high  place  in  this  world,  but 
in  the  eyes  of  thur  Lamb  onter  his 
throne  er  light  we  sh'll  be  jist  's  good 
as  thur  richest.  I  tell  'urn  thur  Re- 
deemer of  thur  world  loves  us  poor  folks, 
jist  's  well  's  he  does  thur  rich  ones,  ef 
we  behave 's  well." 

We  all  made  an  assenting  murmur. 
Mrs.  Case  seemed  very  well  pleased  with 
her  last  remarks  ;  so  well  pleased  that 
she  immediately  repeated  the  latter  half  of 
them,  and  we  again  made  the  same 
murmur. 

She  began  now  to  give  minute  particu- 
lars of  her  son-in-law's  illness  and  last 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   133 

hours,  particulars  which  I  will  not  repeat. 
At  the  end  of  this  narrative  she  said  she 
"  did  n't  know  nawthin'  who  war  er 
gwine  ter  pay  Bill's  doctor."  She  as- 
serted that  money  must  be  raised  some 
way.  Having  said  this  she  turned  to 
Amabel  and  me,  slowly,  but  with  great 
unexpectedness,  and  told  us  that  she  had 
heard  we  wanted  to  buy  a  horse  to  ride, 
—  one  that  had  a  saddle  gait,  and  did  n't 
trot. 

We  were  so  surprised  at  this  turn  in 
the  conversation  that  we  acknowledged 
that  we  did  think  some  of  buying  a  low- 
priced  horse  if  we  found  one  that  suited. 
We  spoke  thus,  though  we  saw  vaguely 
that  Mrs.  Ayer  was  making  some  kind 
of  a  signal  to  us.  We  did  not  under- 
stand what  she  meant,  and  so  felt  keenly 
anxious,  and  quite  sure  that  we  had  said 
the  wrong  thing. 


134    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  I  reckon  old  Yaller-tail  '11  suit  you- 
uns,"  said  Mrs.  Case.  "I  reckon  we 
mought  go  out  an'  look  at  him." 

She  evidently  meant  the  horse  she  had 
ridden.  She  rose  as  she  spoke.  Her 
face  could  not  look  animated,  but  there 
did  come  a  trifle  of  life  into  it  as  she 
spoke  of  selling  the  horse.  She  kept  close 
to  us  as  we  went  to  the  barn,  —  so  close 
that  Mrs.  Ayer  could  not  give  us  any 
advice,  though  she  contorted  her  face  into 
dreadful  shapes  in  her  anxiety  to  make  us 
understand  something,  we  could  not  guess 
what.  We  had  no  idea  whether  she 
wished  us  to  know  that  we  might  better 
buy  the  horse,  or  not  even  look  at  him. 
This  uncertainty  was  trying.  Ristus  was 
not  visible.  We  heard  the  twins  shrieking 
up  beyond  the  inclosure  where  the 
"  roughness  J '  was  stacked. 

Mrs.  Case  went  into  the  barn  and  led 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   135 

out  "  Ole  Yaller-tail,"  a  beast  which  es- 
caped being  a  clay  bank  in  color,  save  for 
his  tail. 

"  You-uns  try  him,"  she  said. 

I  have  the  weakness  of  always  being 
ready  to  try  anything  in  the  shape  of  a 
horse.  We  took  off  the  saddle  and  re- 
placed it  with  Mrs.  Ayer's  saddle.  It 
was  evident  that  the  horse's  knees  were 
a  good  deal  sprung,  but  it  was  a  large, 
fat-looking  animal  with  a  mild  eye.  We 
said  that  its  knees  didn't  seem  to  be  right, 
and  Mrs.  Case  responded  that  when  "  er 
hoss  wa'n't  young  she  reckoned  they 
wor  better  hosses  ef  they  gurt  knock- 
kneed  a  bit." 

She  gave  no  reason  for  this  theory  of 
hers.  She  plainly  had  the  knack  of  the 
true  horse-dealer  in  affecting  to  believe 
that  an  animal  she  was  trying  to  sell  was 
in  fact  a  little  more  valuable  by  reason  of 


136  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

some  defect,  —  a  defect  which  she  would 
openly  acknowledge.  It  is  astonishing 
how  a  genuine  trader  will  give  you,  for 
the  time  being,  the  feeling  that  if  his 
horse  is  somewhat  hurt  by  the  heaves  it 
is  but  a  sign  that  it  is  a  "  mighty  good 
hoss,"  and  you  are  lacking  in  judgment 
if  you  would  prefer  a  steed  without  the 
heaves. 

"  Yaller-tail  "  stood  perfectly  still  while 
we  pulled  at  the  straps.  Then  Amabel 
insisted  that  I  should  mount,  saying  that 
I  knew  about  horses,  and  she  did  n't.  It 
was  likely  she  was  aware  that  she  could 
not  please  me  more  than  by  saying  I  knew 
about  horses.  I  did  n't  really  know, 
but  I  wished  that  I  did,  and  I  am  afraid  I 
have  occasionally  talked  with  an  air  about 
hocks  and  pasterns  and  flanks. 

I  rode  Yaller-tail  slowly  down  the 
steep  path.  I  would  not  try  any  faster 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   137 

pace  until  I  was  on  the  comparatively 
level  ground  of  the  path  which  wound  in 
the  valley.  I  had  neglected  to  take  any 
switch  with  me,  but  just  as  I  left  Mr. 
Ayer's  land  I  met  a  negro  whom  I  knew. 
At  my  request  he  cut  me  a  whip  from  a 
sourwood  which  was  growing  near. 

"  Yo'  ain't  bought  Miss  Case's  hoss 
hab  yo'  ?  "  he  asked  anxiously.  "  Don't 
yo'  go  an'  do  dat ;  yo  '11  'pent  de 
longes'  day  yo'  lib,"  he  said  with  ex- 
treme emphasis. 

When  I  asked  what  was  the  matter 
with  the  horse,  he  said  he  didn't  know, 
"  o'ny  its  knees  wor  wrong,"  and  he 
added  that  it  "  'peared  like  Miss  Case 
wor  so  pious  dat  'twa'n't  safe  er  tradin' 
wiv  her." 

This  was  the  first  time  I  had  ever 
heard  of  piety  standing  in  the  way  of  an 
honest  trade.  Jake  went  his  way  and  I 


138  IN   BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

mine.  I  thought  it  would  be  foolish  in 
me  if  I  let  the  advice  of  an  ignorant  negro 
affect  my  judgment.  I  wasn't  looking 
for  a  fine  animal  or  willing  to  pay  for  such 
an  one.  Mr.  Ayer's  horses  were  worked 
so  constantly  that  Amabel  and  I  could  not 
hear  from  the  post  office  as  regularly  as 
we  wished.  We  had  asked  each  other 
why  we  should  not  invest  moderately  in 
something  which  would  be  at  our  com- 
mand at  any  time.  Here  seemed  to  be 
the  opportunity. 

I  found  the  sourwood  whip  a  very  poor 
weapon.  The  more  I  struck  with  it  the 
more  Yaller-tail  would  not  move  from  a 
walk.  It  might  be  that  the  horse  had 
conscientious  scruples  about  being  urged 
by  a  piece  of  sourwood,  and,  the  switch 
being  entirely  in  shreds  now,  I  thought 
it  advisable  to  try  another  kind  of  arbore- 
ous weapon.  I  rode  along  under  a  low- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    139 

growing  oak  tree  and  pulled  off  the  first 
branch  which  came  to  hand  and  with  this 
branch  I  beat  Yaller-tail ;  he  responded  by 
breaking  into  the  minutest  kind  of  a  rock- 
ing gait.  It  did  not  seem  as  if  he  covered 
ground  as  fast  as  when  he  walked,  but  he 
put  on  all  the  airs  of  going  at  a  great  rate, 
so  that  I  was  almost  deceived  myself. 
This  kind  of  motion  lasted  possibly  a  min- 
ute and  a  half,  and  then  Yaller-tail  ap- 
peared to  slump,  and  then  to  walk  again. 

I  said  to  myself  that  one  could  not  ex- 
pect much  for  a  little  money,  and  that  we 
ought  to  be  satisfied  with  anything  that 
would  carry  us.  Time  was  nothing  to 
us  ;  and  it  would  probably  be  beneficial 
to  remain  for  long  periods  in  this  delicious 
air  ;  and  then  the  opportunities  to  gaze 
at  the  mountains,  to  hear  the  rushing 
of  the  "branches!"  One  might  do  an 
unlimited  amount  of  landscape  gazing 


140   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

while  riding  on  Yaller-tail  from  Mr. 
Ayer's  to  Busbee  post  office  ;  there  would 
be  time  enough,  I  knew,  from  my  short 
acquaintance  with  this  horse,  and  I  also 
knew  that  there  was  scenery  enough. 

At  this  point  in  my  meditations  it 
occurred  to  me  that  I  did  not  yet  know 
what  sum  Mrs.  Case  would  mention  as 
her  price.  I  turned  the  animal  back 
toward  Mrs.  Ayer's  and  again  beat  it 
with  my  oak  branch.  I  kept  on  beating, 
so  that  I  might  emerge  into  the  view  of 
my  friends  riding  at  the  full  speed  of  the 
rocking  gait.  I  succeeded.  I  saw 
Amabel  half  way  down  the  path.  She 
waved  her  hand  at  me  and  I  waved  my 
branch.  In  doing  this  I  necessarily  did 
not,  for  the  moment,  strike  the  horse  with 
it,  and  so  he  began  to  walk. 

Amabel  met  me,  and  for  a  short  time 
we  were  alone. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   141 

"Do  you  call  him  spirited?"  she 
asked  with  great  solicitude. 

In  response,  I  inquired  what  she 
thought.  She  replied  that,  though  Yaller- 
tail  himself  did  not  seem  spirited,  he 
appeared  to  be  the  cause  of  spirit  in  me, 
for  she  had  never  seen  me  look  more  ani- 
mated than  as  I  came  riding  forward, 
wielding  my  oak  branch.  She  said  she 
supposed  we  could  get  to  the  post-office 
on  him  and  back  again,  and  that  was 
about  all  we  expected.  Of  course  the 
journey,  of  three  miles  and  return,  would 
take  all  the  daylight  hours,  but  it  was 
good  for  the  health  to  be  out-of-doors. 
Amabel  concluded  that  if  Mrs.  Case  did 
not  ask  more  than  five  dollars  we  should 
not  lose  very  much  if  we  bought  the 
horse. 

"  But  I  wish  I  knew  what  is  the  mat- 
ter with  Mary,"  she  said,  referring  to 


142   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Mrs.  Ayer  ;  "she  has  been  'making  up 
faces '  behind  Mrs.  Case's  back,  and  ges-  • 
turing  and  going  on  so  generally  that  I  am 
bewildered.       Does  she  mean  for  us  to 
buy  the  horse  or  not  ? ' ' 

We  agreed  that  the  most  cautious  plan 
for  us  to  follow  would  be  to  ask  that  the 
horse  be  left  with  us  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  then  we  would  decide. 

"  We  could  n't  ride  a  fast  horse  up  and 
down  these  mountains,  you  know,"  I 
said. 

Amabel  assented.  And  then  she  asked 
if  I  thought  there  were  oak  trees  enough, 
and  sourwoods  enough,  —  "for  whips, 
you  know.  You  have  destroyed  two  in 
the  half-hour  you  've  been  riding. ' ' 

To  our  amazement  Mrs.  Case  said  her 
price  was  sixty-five  dollars,  but  that  her 
old  man  had  said  she  ought  to  get  seventy- 
five  for  it. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   143 

"I  never  did  like  that  kind  of  front 
legs  in  a  horse,"  said  Amabel.  I  tried 
to  call  up  sufficient  effrontery  to  say  that 
we  had  contemplated  offering  five  dollars, 
but  I  could  only  say  deferentially  that  we 
hoped  she  would  be  willing  to  leave 
Yaller-tail  for  a  couple  of  days,  when  we 
would  see  her  and  tell  our  decision. 

She  demurred.  Said  "  Mr.  Case  wor 
so  kinder  sot  onter  this  beast  as  he  never' d 
part  with  hit  eft  wa'n't  fur  payin'  Bill's 
doctor." 

She  stood  with  her  hands  on  her  hips 
meditating.  The  twins  came  yelling 
down  from  farther  up  the  mountain  and 
joined  the  group,  not  saying  anything,  but 
staring  at  one  face  and  then  at  another. 


144   I*  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER   IX 

Sequel  to  Thur  Case  Hon. 

FINALLY  Mrs.  Case  announced 
that  she  reckoned  she'd  leave 
Yaller-tail  until  the  next  day, 
when  one  of  us  could  come  over  to  the 
State  Road  and  see  her.  She  said  she 
could  walk  home,  and  she  started  directly, 
going  down  the  steep  path  with  that  easy 
stride  which  I  envy. 

Now,  unembarrassed  by  the  presence  of 
the  owner,  we  examined  the  horse  again. 

'*  What  a  fat,  nice-looking  creature  it 
is,  all  but  its  front  knees  ! ' '  said  Amabel, 
longingly. 

"  Do  not  say  front  knees,  because  it 
has  no  hind  knees,"  I  remonstrated. 


IK  BUKCOMBE  COUNTY   145 


Thai  I  JMOBCitJ  my  friend  in 


When  Mr.  Ayer  came  in  from  a  far-off 
fan  cf  the  fxrm  he  would  hardly  look  at 
the  hone,  only  saying  that  it  was  enough 
for  him  to  know  that  Mrs.  Case  wanted 
totrfik, 

Bat  his  remark  did  not  alarm  me  so 
much  as  something  I  heard  Elk  say  to 
EUen  as  they  were  picking  up  chips  that 
afternoon  near  where  I  stood. 

"I  reckon,"  says  Ella,  "as  how  that 
must  be  thor  ole  Case  hoss  as  has 
fits." 

"I  reckon,"  returned  Ellen,  "a*  how 
it  must  be  thur  Case  hoss  as  has  fits." 

I  did  not  speak  of  what  I  had  over- 
heard. I  only  made  a  firm  resolve  that, 
early  in  the  morning,  I  would  tell  Ristus 
I  would  take  care  of  the  baby  while  he 
rode  Yaller-tail  home  and  told  its  owner 
10 


146  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

that  we  had  decided  the  animal  would 
not  suit  us  at  any  price.  But  when  the 
morning  came,  alas  !  —  but  I  must  not 
anticipate. 

My  last  coherent  thought  after  I  had 
gone  to  bed  that  night  was  one  of  grati- 
tude that  I  had  overheard  the  twins  talk- 
ing of  their  belief  that  "  it  war  thur  hoss 
as  has  fits." 

It  would  be  sufficiently  dreadful  in  a 
level  country  to  be  mounted  on  an  animal 
which  was  in  a  convulsion,  for  you  would 
not  know  in  the  least  what  your  fate 
would  be.  It  would  be  still  worse  in 
this  mountainous  region  to  ride  such  a 
creature,  for  there  would  be  no  uncer- 
tainty at  all  about  your  fate  ;  if  you  were 
thrown  off,  you  would  go  rolling  down  a 
steep  mountain,  and  you  would  land  in  a 
branch  or  in  a  gully ;  in  either  case  your 
physical  condition  would  be  ruined. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    147 

No,  the  "Heart  of  the  Alleghanies"  is 
no  place  in  which  to  learn  to  ride  a 
"fitty  hoss."  I  would  rather  never  ride 
at  all.  My  dreams  that  night  were 
dreadful,  and  I  was  glad  when  the 
morning  came.  I  was  awake  before  it 
was  light.  I  watched  the  reddening 
east  through  the  window  and  through 
various  openings  in  the  walls  of  the 
house.  Since  living  in  a  cabin  among 
these  mountains  I  think  I  have  discovered 
what  it  is  that  prolongs  the  life  of  people 
who  seem,  from  poverty  and  ignorance, 
to  violate  every  rule  of  health.  It  is 
fresh  air.  They  have  it  all  the  time  ; 
they  cannot  shut  it  out  if  they  would. 
When  you  see  a  small  hut  without 
windows  and  with  the  doors  closed  — 
this  is  in  the  night,  for  the  door  is  rarely 
shut  in  the  day-time,  whatever  the 
weather  —  you  may  be  sure  the  hut  is 


148    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

full  of  men,  women,  and  children.  Your 
first  thought  is  that  they  must  be  breath- 
ing the  foulest  of  air,  and  how  do  they 
live  ?  If  you  should  walk  into  that 
cabin,  stepping  over  the  sleepers  on  the 
floor,  you  would  find  it  well  ventilated  ; 
there  are  big  cracks  everywhere,  and 
there  is  an  enormous  open  chimney. 
The  air  on  these  mountains  is  like  some- 
thing magical,  even  though  it  be  cold, 
and  these  wretches  have  enough  of  it ;  it 
sustains  them  in  spite  of  hunger  and  poi- 
son whiskey,  and  tobacco  and  sensuality. 

I  have  said  there  are  two  rooms  in  this 
cabin.  It  has  also  two  windows  in  each 
room,  for  it  is  a  sumptuous  dwelling.  We 
have  the  room  which  is  not  the  kitchen ; 
the  kitchen  is  where  the  big  fireplace  is, 
and  it  is  where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ayer  re- 
pose at  night  on  a  Northern  bed-lounge, 
which  is  shut  up  in  the  day-time.  The 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    149 

twins'  room  is  a  corner  of  our  room, 
where  stands  their  old-fashioned  broad 
sofa,  which  holds  Ella  and  Ellen  and 
Tip  and  Buster.  There  are  drawbacks 
in  sharing  an  apartment  with  Ella  and 
Ellen  and  Tip  and  Buster.  Some  of 
these  drawbacks  are  as  follows  :  The  lit- 
tle girls  have  an  almost  nightly  habit  of 
talking  in  their  sleep ;  they  sometimes 
talk  very  loud  and  we  get  very  much 
awake  indeed  trying  to  wake  them.  It 
often  occurs  that  we  are  so  long  in  effect- 
ing this  that  by  the  time  we  are  sufficiently 
calm  to  become  drowsy  it  is  time  for 
them  to  talk  again.  They  have  on 
several  occasions  been  so  conversational 
in  this  nocturnal  manner  that  Mrs.  Ayer 
has  been  obliged  to  come  in  and  shake 
and  pinch  them.  Amabel  has  suspected 
that  the  twins  are  not  really  asleep,  but 
that  they  wish  to  converse  without  being 


150  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

punished,  and  so  adopt  this  method.  But 
I  have  stated  that  Amabel  thinks  the 
twins  are  sly. 

Then  the  dogs.  Hardly  a  night 
passes  that  Tip  and  Buster  do  not  have 
to  protect  us  at  least  twice  during  the 
dark  hours.  We  have  never  been  any- 
where in  our  lives  where  we  were  so 
much  protected  as  since  we  came  to 
North  Carolina.  The  manner  of  pro- 
tection in  vogue  in  our  sleeping  room  is 
something  like  this :  A  passing  breeze 
stirs  the  peach-tree  which  droops  over 
the  roof,  and  makes  a  branch  scratch 
along  the  shingles.  Instantly  Buster  has 
thrown  off  the  blankets  and  whacked 
himself  on  to  the  floor.  He  stands  for 
a  second  listening ;  the  branch  creaks 
again,  and  he  bursts  forth  into  ferocious 
barking.  At  his  first  tone  Tip  is  off  the 
lounge  and  adding  his  bark.  When  each 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   151 

dog  has  delivered  one  volley,  each  ap- 
pears to  become  convinced  that  it  is  the 
peach-tree  on  the  roof,  and  that  there  is 
no  need  of  barking  any  more.  Then 
they  go  back  to  bed  again,  whine  some- 
what if  they  find  trouble  in  getting 
immediately  under  the  covers,  and  are 
silent.  After  an  hour  or  two,  during 
which  the  twins  may  not  talk,  and  we 
may  sleep,  there  is  some  indescribable 
noise  on  the  mountain  side  and  both  dogs 
are  out  again,  protecting.  If  the  outside 
noise  continues,  they  continue.  After  a 
while  it  is  morning  and  then  the  dogs 
indulge  in  deep  and  unbroken  naps, 
unless  we  invite  them  out  for  a  walk, 
when  they  are  alert  and  ready.  We 
have  often  wished  that  we  could  make 
these  terriers  understand  that  the  peach- 
tree  would  not  injure  us  in  the  least, 
even  if  they  should  not  bark  at  it. 


152  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

They  have  such  an  air  of  duty  done 
after  one  of  these  barking  fits  that  it  is 
hard  to  remonstrate  with  them.  Amabel 
thinks  that  she  could  bear  a  good  deal 
more  of  dogs'  barking  than  of  twins'  talk- 
ing, but  that  she  would  not  choose  to 
have  to  hear  either  when  she  ought  to  be 
asleep.  She  argues  that  sleep  is  necessary 
even  with  air  like  the  air  here.  It  is 
possible  that  she  is  right.  She  says,  fur- 
thermore, that  good  air  can't  do  every- 
thing ;  and  again  she  may  be  right,  but 
good  air  has  to  do  about  all  there  is  done 
here. 

We  had  enjoyed  a  remarkably  good 
night  with  the  Case  horse  in  the  barn  ; 
the  twins  had  not  talked,  and  the  dogs 
had  not  protected.  I  waked  very  early, 
and  finding,  when  it  was  really  light, 
that  Amabel  was  also  awake,  we  said  we 
would  go  out  and  see  how  the  horse 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   153 

looked.  Now  that  a  new  day  had  come, 
I  thought  that  perhaps  the  horse  didn't 
have  fits,  after  all.  It  was  by  no  means 
sure  that  it  was  so  afflicted  because  the 
twins  had  been  overheard  to  say  they 
"  reckoned  it  war. ' ' 

We  dressed  and  went  out  very  quietly. 
Did  you  ever  see  a  morning  among  these 
peaks,  when  the  sun  is  just  up  and  the 
mists  are  hiding  all  but  the  heads  of  the 
Titans  ?  If  you  have  looked  upon  such 
a  scene  you  will  be  thankful  all  your  life 
therefor.  The  Ayer  cabin  stands  so  high 
that  we  had  a  wide  view,  and  we  forgot 
the  Case  horse  for  many  minutes.  We 
were  recalled  to  our  purpose  in  thus  ris- 
ing by  seeing  the  twins  running  from  the 
house  to  the  barn.  They  were  always 
"sun  urp,"  as  they  said;  they  raked 
out  the  coals  on  the  hearth  and  made  a 
fire. 


154  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

In  a  moment  Ella  ran  out  of  the  barn 
and  toward  where  we  were  standing. 

"  Law,  me  !  "  she  was  crying,  breath- 
lessly, "  come  an'  see  thur  horse  !  " 

Ellen  came  behind  her  ;  she,  too,  was 
running,  and  panting  out  :  — 

"  Law,  me !  Come  an*  see  thur 
hoss  !  "  To  add  to  the  action  of  this 
matutinal  picture,  a  voice  far  down  the 
mountain  now  called  out,  "  Dogs  bite  ?  " 
The  mist  hid  the  speaker  completely,  but 
we  recognized  the  tones  of  Ristus. 
Though  he  came  every  day,  he  still  went 
through  that  formula,  which  he  seemed  to 
think  was  demanded  by  some  inexorable 
code  of  good  manners.  He  had,  how- 
ever, ameliorated  the  process  by  not 
insisting  upon  an  answer.  Now  Ella 
turned  her  face  toward  the  place  from 
which  the  shout  had  come  and  screamed 
back  with  the  greatest  contempt  :  — 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   155 

"  Master  King  !  Yer  know  they 
don't  bite!  Yer  know  yer  couldn't 
make  'um  bite  !  "  Upon  this,  Ellen 
instantly  dashed  down  a  few  rods  and 
repeated  the  words,  standing  bent  forward, 
with  her  hands  on  her  hips,  "like  'er 
'ornan,"  she  would  have  said. 

After  this  the  twins  returned  to  us  and 
we  made  our  way  to  the  barn  where  we 
had  seen  the  Case  horse  put  the  night 
before.  The  little  girls  were  in  the 
highest  state  of  cheerful  excitement. 
Their  hair  blew  about  on  their  bare 
heads  ;  their  cheeks  were  red ;  if  their 
eyes  could  have  sparkled  they  would  have 
done  so  now.  But  those  pale,  almost 
opaque  eyes  could  not  sparkle. 

The  Case  horse  had  been  put  in  the 
back  part  of  the  barn  in  an  open  space, 
the  stalls  being  occupied  by  Mr.  Ayer's 
horses.  The  twins  reached  the  place 


156  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

first  and  then  they  stood  pointing  and 
crying  :  — 

"  Jis  yer  look  er  thur  !  " 

We  looked.  Having  once  looked  it 
was  not  easy  to  take  our  eyes  from  the 
object.  The  animal  was  down  in  such 
a  way  that  its  legs  were  in  the  air.  How 
many  legs  has  a  horse  ?  Wait  until  you 
see  one  in  this  position  before  you  answer 
that  question. 

Amabel  grasped  my  arm  and  exclaimed 
in  an  awe-struck  undertone  :  — 

"  Do  you  see  its  legs  ?  " 

This  was  so  foolish  a  question  that 
I  would  not  reply  to  it.  She  went  on  to 
say  that  she  had  always  supposed  that 
nothing  but  a  centipede  had  so  many. 
Then  she  suggested  that  perhaps  this 
access  of  limbs  on  the  Case  horse  was 
only  temporary  and  occasioned  by  fits, 
for  she  supposed  that  the  horse  was  in  a 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    157 

fit.  Perhaps  when  the  creature  came 
out  of  the  fit,  or  the  fit  came  out  of  him, 
some  of  the  legs  would  prove  to  be 
ephemeral,  and  would  subside  or  evaporate. 
I  did  not  listen  to  this  talk,  though  I 
heard  it.  Ella  and  Ellen  were  edging  up 
as  near  to  the  horse  as  they  could,  with 
open  mouths  and  absorbed  faces. 

"  Suppose  you  had  been  on  his  back!  " 
said  Amabel  with  a  sigh  of  gratitude  that 
her  supposition  was  not  true. 

"Why  suppose  such  a  thing,"  I  said 
crossly,  "when  he  is  on  his  own  back!  " 

"Yes,  I  know;  but  —  oh,  heavens! 
what  is  he  going  to  do  ? " 

A  strong  movement  vibrated  through 
the  animal,  its  legs  shook,  and  then  it  was 
over  on  its  side  with  its  head  stretched 
out.  The  twins  shrieked  with  delight 
and  jumped  up  and  down. 

"I    think,"    said    Amabel    anxiously, 


158   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  that  we  ought  to  call  Mr.  Ayer. 
There 's  nothing  like  having  a  man 
present  when  a  horse  has  a  fit." 

It  was  hard  to  ask  the  children  to  leave 
this  interesting  scene  ;  I  knew  that  they 
could  not  well  endure  to  miss  a  single 
contortion.  Secretly  I  did  not  think 
there  would  be  any  more  contortions,  for 
I  believed  the  horse  was  dead.  I  said  I 
would  call  Mr.  Ayer.  As  I  turned  to  go 
I  saw  that  gentleman  approaching  with 
Ristus  following,  the  baby  on  his  shoulder. 
Also  Black  Jake,  who  worked  for  the 
Ayers,  was  coming  out  of  the  fog  below 
us,  but  was  still  so  much  in  it  that  he 
looked  like  a  giant.  Help  was  arriving 
from  every  point. 

To  our  utter  amazement  Mr.  Ayer 
was  entirely  calm  when  he  came  upon  the 
scene,  and  again  I  was  convinced  that  it 
is  a  great  thing  to  be  a  man. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    159 

He  leaned  over  and  gazed.  Then  he 
said  : 

"Cast,  isn't  he? " 

Amabel  cried  out  to  know  if  that  was 
what  it  was  to  be  cast  ? 

Seeing  the  interested  group,  Mrs.  Ayer 
now  came  from  the  house  with  a  shawl 
over  her  head,  and  followed  by  the  four 
"fysts,"  who  were  nosing  about  with 
the  utmost  vigor,  hoping  they  would  find 
something  at  which  to  bark.  We 
hastened  to  give  Mr.  Ayer  a  minute  de- 
scription of  all  we  had  witnessed  since  we 
had  come  upon  the  ground.  And  still 
he  said  he  guessed  the  beast  was  cast. 

Black  Jake  had  been  bending  his  long 
body  forward  that  he  might  have  a  better 
view.  He  now  said  he  had  heard  that 
the  Case  hoss  had  fits,  and  he  had  also 
heard  that  when  it  got  down  it  frequently 
required  a  "  teakle  "  to  get  it  up.  Jake 


160   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

talks  in  a  dialect,  and  with  a  thickness  and 
huskiness  extraordinary  even  in  a  negro. 
We  understand  very  little  he  says.  Mrs. 
Ayer  now  translated  his  remarks  to  us. 

"Very  likely  he  has  fits,"  said  Mr. 
Ayer,  impatiently,  "but  he  hasn't  got  a 
fit  now.  Jake,  we  must  rig  something  so 
that  we  can  get  him  up."  He  turned 
to  me.  ««  By  George  !  "  he  cried,  "  it 's 
lucky  you  were  not  on  his  back  !  " 

Mrs.  Ayer  repeated  the  words  with 
great  fervor,  and  I  began  to  feel  like  a 
person  who  had  just  escaped  a  great  peril, 
particularly  as  the  twins  came  nearer  to  me 
and  gazed  with  an  unblinking  gaze,  almost 
as  if  I  were  a  monster. 

Amabel  and  I  tried  to  express  our  re- 
gret at  having  caused  so  much  trouble. 
Mr.  Ayer  magnanimously  said  that  noth- 
ing was  any  trouble  if  we  could  only  be 
saved  from  buying  that  horse. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   161 

After  this  we  stayed  round  while  ropes 
were  rigged  and  different  "purchasers" 
contrived  to  raise  the  Case  horse.  It 
took  a  good  while.  It  seemed  as  if  it 
never  would  be  done.  It  was  astonishing 
how  much  power  of  resistance  was  shown 
by  a  being  who  appeared  so  powerless. 
One  would  have  said  that  the  horse  stuck 
its  nails  into  the  ground  and  clung  there. 
It  must  be  raised  to  its  feet  or  it  could 
never  be  sent  home.  The  sun  came  out 
and  made  magnificent  pictures  all  about  us  ; 
the  mountains  changed  forms  in  the  shining 
vapor,  and  still  the  horse  was  not  up. 

Finally  Amabel  said  to  me  that  she 
believed  that  Mr.  Ayer  would  say  some 
forcible  words  if  we  were  not  present,  and 
she  thought  it  our  duty  to  retire,  which 
we  did. 

Breakfast  time  came  and  passed,  but  no 
one  had  leisure  to  eat. 
ii 


162   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"It  maybe,"  said  Mrs.  Ayer,  com- 
ing back  to  the  cabin  from  a  visit  to  the 
barn,  "  that  the  Case  horse  will  never 
rise  again ;  and  then  you  will  be  com- 
pelled to  buy  it  because  you  cannot  re- 
turn it.  It  will  be  better  to  have  it 
for  a  pet  and  visit  it  as  it  lies  there,  than 
for  you  to  ride  it.  This  is  probably 
providential." 

She  had  no  more  than  spoken  thus 
when  we  heard  a  great  shout  at  the  barn. 
We  rushed  forth  and  saw  Mr.  Ayer 
waving  his  hat  in  our  direction.  We  ran 
toward  him.  He  was  crimson  and  per- 
spiring from  his  efforts,  but  he  looked 
happy.  And  we  all  had  reason  to  be 
happy.  There  was  the  horse  standing. 
It  had  a  calm  expression,  as  if  it  were 
defying  any  one  to  prove  it  had  been 
down  ;  and  it  was  picking  up  stray  locks 
of  hay. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   163 

"  Do  you  think  Ristus  could  lead  it 
home?"  I  asked,  eagerly.  "I  will  take 
Ole  Pink's  baby  until  he  comes  back." 

Ristus  stepped  forward  and  handed  the 
baby  to  me. 

"  I  aint  er  'fraid  ter  ride  hit,"  he  said, 
placidly. 

He  was  soon  out  of  sight  among  the 
trees,  riding,  and  we  were  left  with  the 
baby,  which  now  seemed  to  discover 
that  its  best  friend  was  gone.  It  began  to 
wail,  and  did  not  cease,  in  spite  of  all 
that  we  could  do  until  the  boy  returned. 
He  informed  us  that  "  Miss  Case  she  wor 
that  mad  that  she  cussed  an'  cussed. 
She  said  as  you-uns  should  n't  git  ketched 
er  that  hoss  yit." 

This  information  made  us  nearly  as 
mad  as  Mrs.  Case  had  been ;  and  we 
were  not  soothed  when  Ristus  went  on  to 
say  that  the  woman  had  sworn  that  "  she 


164  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

wor  er  fule  to  er  believe  what  a  cussed  lot 
er  Yanks  had  said.' ' 

It  seemed  then  that  we  were  supposed 
to  have  bargained  for  the  horse,  and  that 
now  we  refused  to  keep  to  our  word. 

Mrs.  Ayer  laughed,  but  there  was  a 
bitter  sound  to  the  laugh. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   165 


CHAPTER  X 

Ristus    in    "Trousies"    and   Jake 
Seeks  Advice 

SAY,    now,   huccum   dat   Ristus 

in  trousies  ? ' ' 

1  Black  Jake,  Long  Black  Jake, 

as  he  was  usually  called,  put  this  question 
in  great  excitement  one  morning  not  many 
days  after  that  day  when  we  did  not  buy 
the  Case  horse.  He  was  at  the  woodpile 
cutting  wood.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
Ayer  cabin  were  strolling  about  near. 
The  twins  were  scraping  kettles  on  a 
bench  at  the  back  door,  and  of  course 
were  screaming,  for  their  talk  could 
hardly  be  called  anything  else.  The 
dogs  had  protected  so  much  during  the 


166   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

previous  night  that  they  were  indulging  in 
a  prolonged  morning  nap. 

When  Black  Jake  uttered  the  above  in- 
terrogation Ella  and  Ellen  dropped  their 
kettles  and  rushed  into  the  foreground, 
still  holding  the  scraping  knives  in  their 
hands  and  flourishing  the  weapons, 
entirely  regardless  of  the  fact  that  peo- 
ple had  eyes,  not  to  speak  of  other 
features.  When  they  were  pulled  back 
they  submitted  in  the  most  respectful 
manner,  and  assured  us  that  they  would 
not  put  our  eyes  out  "  not  fur  nawthin'," 
and  that  it  was  the  fault  of  the  kettles  that 
they  had  knives  in  their  hands  at  all. 

We  all  went  forward  a  good  way  that 
we  might  the  better  see  the  figure  advanc- 
ing up  the  mountain.  Of  course  it  was 
Ristus,  for  he  bore  a  baby  in  his  arms, 
and  we  could  see  his  long  light  hair. 

Yes,  he  was  certainly,  as  Jake  had  said, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   167 

"in  trousies."  He  also  had  on  a  blue 
flannel  shirt,  and  a  broad  felt  hat  turned 
up  in  front  in  the  most  approved  mountain 
fashion. 

"  Law  me  !  Jis'  luke  at  him  !  "  cried 
Ella. 

"  Law  me  !  Jis'  luke  at  him  ! "  cried 
Ellen,  and  they  both  began  to  laugh  and 
flourish  their  knives  again.  For  the 
second  time  they  were  pulled  back,  and 
for  the  second  time  subsided  in  perfect 
respect.  My  friend  asserts  that  respect  is 
the  twins'  trump  card.  She  says  that  it 
is  impossible  to  punish  children  properly 
for  wrong-doing  when  they  are  so  saturated 
with  deep,  not  to  say  admiring,  respect 
for  you.  The  knowledge  of  this  respect 
paralyzes  the  arm  of  reproof.  Amabel 
used  to  spend  hours  watching  these  chil- 
dren and  forming  theories  about  them. 
I  believed  that  she  was  always  too  hard 


i68  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

on  them.  My  theory  was  that  the  poor 
little  wretches  could  not  be  so  deep. 
"Deep!"  Amabel  would  cry,  "wells 
are  shallow  to  them.  I  should  n't  won- 
der if  they  had  a  train  of  action  arranged 
with  an  eye  to  consequences  a  year  hence. 
See  how  queer  and  reserved  they  are  to 
any  of  their  old  companions  who  happen 
to  come  to  the  Ayers*.  They  have  made 
Mrs.  Ayer  almost  believe  that  they  don't 
care  any  more  for  those  low-lived  crea- 
tures, —  that  they  have  risen  in  their  tastes. 
I  Ve  inclined  to  believe  it  also,  for  Ella 
and  Ellen  have  hardly  a  crevice  in  their 
armor.  They  frighten  me  with  their 
skill.  The  other  day  those  two  Colwell 
girls  were  here,  those  lying,  dirty  crea- 
tures whom  Mrs.  Ayer  distrusts  so,  and 
with  whom  she  will  not  let  the  twins 
associate.  When  they  had  gone  Mrs. 
Ayer  said  impressively  that  she  should  be 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   169 

very  unhappy  if  Ella  and  Ellen  should 
ever  be  like  the  Colwells  ;  that  she  would 
sacrifice  a  great  deal  rather  than  have  that 
happen.  Those  little  girls  listened  with 
such  devout  respect ;  it  was  too  much  ; 
no  children  could  possibly  be  as  deferen- 
tial as  they  looked.  I  watched  them 
more  closely  than  I  had  ever  done.  When 
Mrs.  Ayer  was  talking,  Ella  glanced  at 
Ellen  and  almost  winked;  she  didn't 
quite  wink,  because  just  then  she  saw  me 
looking  at  her." 

It  did  not  seem  to  me  that  it  was  very 
much  against  a  child  that  she  had  almost 
winked.  To  this  remark  of  mine  Amabel 
responded  that  she  believed  we  should  both 
live  long  enough  to  know  she  was  right. 
She  further  said  that,  without  the  slightest 
tangible  foundation  for  her  suspicion,  she 
yet  believed  that  the  twins  had  secret 
meetings  with  "those  nasty  Colwells." 


170  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

But  while  I  am  writing  this  Ristus  is 
coming  up  the  hill  toward  us.  Before  he 
has  mounted  very  far  our  company  has 
been  increased  by  everybody  on  the  Ayer 
farm.  We  all  gaze  with  intense  interest 
at  the  boy  who  is  not  wearing  a  long  coat 
and  a  sunbonnet.  Everybody  manifests 
the  keenest  surprise,  save,  perhaps,  Ama- 
bel. It  strikes  me  as  I  glance  at  her  that 
she  is  trying  to  look  surprised  with  the 
rest.  Now  I  recall  certain  mysterious 
and  solitary  visits  to  clothing  stores  when 
we  were  in  Asheville  the  other  day, 
visits  concerning  which  Amabel  was  ex- 
asperatingly  non-committal  at  the  time. 

Ristus  was  startlingly  picturesque.  I 
did  not  know  before  that  a  broad  felt  hat 
was  such  a  thing  of  beauty,  or  that  a 
coarse  blue  flannel  shirt  and  heavy  trousers 
could  be  so  ornamental. 

As  the  boy  came  nearer  to  us  we  saw 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   171 

that  he  was  blushing  deeply.  He  kept 
shifting  the  baby  from  one  shoulder  to  the 
other.  He  evidently  could  not  quite 
believe  there  were  no  skirts  dangling 
about  his  ankles.  As  soon  as  he  reached 
us  he  put  the  baby  down  on  a  pile  of  oat 
straw  and  took  off  his  hat  shyly.  Black 
Jake  was  laughing  with  deep  guttural 
sounds.  The  twins  were  showing  an 
interest  I  had  never  noticed  in  them  before, 
and  which  irritated  me.  It  somehow  made 
their  faces  look  coarse  and  repulsive. 

Mr.  Ayer  stepped  forward  and  put  his 
hand  on  the  boy's  shoulder. 

"I  congratulate  you,  Ristus,"  he  said 
heartily.  "I'm  ashamed  of  myself  that 
I  did  n't  see  that  you  had  some  clothes 
long  ago.  It  is  demoralizing  to  go  about 
dressed  as  you  '  ve  been. ' ' 

Mrs.  Ayer  took  Ristus'  hand.  "  You '  ve 
no  idea  what  a  change  for  the  better  this 


172  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

is,"  she  said.  "  But  where  did  you  get 
these  things  ?  " 

I  was  conscious  that  Amabel  was  mov- 
ing into  the  background. 

"I'd  like  mighty  well  ter  tell  yer, 
Mis'  Ayer,"  he  replied,  "  but  I  war 
given  to  understand  as  'twar  er  kind  of  er 
secrit  like." 

As  he  spoke  he  looked  full  and  be- 
seechingly at  Amabel,  thus  revealing  the 
"  secrit "  immediately.  He  seemed  greatly, 
surprised,  however,  when  we  turned  to 
my  friend  and  asked  why  she  did  not 
give  us  a  chance  to  contribute  our  mite 
toward  Ristus*  new  suit.  She  tried  to 
explain  that  as  she  had  decided  to  put  a 
certain  amount  of  money  into  the  Case 
hoss,  and  then  did  not  do  it,  why,  she 
had  made  just  that  sum  and  must  spend  it 
some  way.  It  occurred  to  her  that  a 
simple  outfit  for  Ristus  would  still  leave 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   173 

her  with  a  few  dollars  in  hand,  besides 
giving  her  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 
"And  Ristus  isn't  sorry  either,  is  he, 
Ristus?"  she  said  lightly,  turning  to 
the  boy,  who,  with  his  hat  still  in  his 
hand,  advanced  a  few  steps  toward  her, 
then  paused,  looking  at  her.  His  sensi- 
tive red  mouth  was  quivering,  and  I 
was  afraid  he  was  going  to  cry.  His 
peculiarly  soft,  light-brown  eyes  did  not 
shed  any  tears,  though  they  seemed  to  be 
full.  His  face  and  bearing  showed  a 
gratitude  that  was  absolutely  passionate. 
After  a  minute  he  spoke,  with  an  entire 
absence  of  self-consciousness,  no  longer 
blushing. 

"  I  don't  reckon  as  nawthin'  could  be 
known  as  how  I  jis'  hated  ter  wear  them 
ole  things  er  mine.  But,  yer  see,  I  'd 
gurt  to  wear  sumpin',  an'  them's  all  I'd 
gurt.  I  couldn't  noways  git  ter  earn 


174   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

'nough  ter  buy  nawthin'.  Yer  see,  Ole 
Pink  hed  ter  hev  all  I  c'd  get  workin'  fur 
Mr.  Penland ;  yer  see,  she  hed  ter  hev  it 
fur  my  eatin's.  I  uster  think  as  how  I  'd 
go  'thout  eatin's,  so  's  I  c'd  hev  trousies, 
an*  I  tried  hit  once't.  But  somehow  I 
reckon  as  we  be  made  fur  ter  have  pone, 
or  sumpin'.  Anyways,  I  be  made  thata- 
way.  So  I  hed  ter  go  back  ter  Ole  Pink. 
I  'd  jis*  'bout  give  hit  all  up,  'bout 
trousies,  ye  know.  When  I've  been  ter 
preachin'  I  useter  hear  'em  tell  as  how 
we  must  be  reconciled  ter  what  happens 
ter  us.  Yer  see  I  reckoned  as  how  that 
meant  me,  —  hit  meant  as  I  war  ter  be 
reconciled  ter  not  hevin*  trousies  in  this 
life.  I  've  ben  tryin*  ter  be  reconciled 
ever  sence.  An*  I've  ben  er  tryin*  ter  be 
content,  er  thinkin*  mebbe  I  sh'd  hev 
trousies  in  Heaven.  But  I  did  think  all 
thur  time  as  how  I  'd  resk  havin'  um  in 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    175 

Heaven,  ef  I  c'd  only  hev  urn  here  fust. 
But  now  —  owin'  ter  her  —  " 

He  paused,  lifted  his  hand  slightly 
toward  Amabel,  and  then  glanced  down 
at  his  pantaloon-covered  legs.  He  swal- 
lowed hard  two  or  three  times.  Then 
he  turned  to  Mr.  Ayer  and  said  that 
"  folks  as  had  always  had  trousies  did  n't 
know  nawthin*  what  he  Jd  ben  through 
er  not  hevin'  urn." 

He  remained  standing  silent,  gazing  at 
Amabel  a  moment,  then  he  went  to  where 
the  baby  was  lying  on  the  straw  waiting 
to  be  taken.  He  lifted  her  in  his  arms 
and  remarked  that  he  war  'fraid  he  war 
late  with  his  chores.  He  walked  away 
toward  the  barns.  Black  Jake  followed 
him.  The  twins  glanced  at  each  other 
and  laughed  ;  then,  seeing  that  no  one 
else  was  laughing,  they  became  very 
sober.  It  was  Mr.  Ayer  who  spoke. 


176   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"If  we  did  n't  already  have  twins, 
and  if  I  was  n't  a  poor  man,"  he  said, 
"  I  would  pay  some  of  these  moun- 
tain women  to  take  care  of  Ole  Pink's 
baby  and  then  I  would  hire  Ristus  regu- 
larly to  work  for  me.  I  don't  know 
what  will  become  of  the  lad,  saddled 
as  he  is  with  that  child.  I  must  think 
about  this.  I  wish  I  could  take  the 
baby  and  drop  it  at  the  door  of  some 
foundling  hospital.  It  would  be  a  great 
pleasure  to  me  to  see  Ole  Pink  horse- 
whipped." 

Mrs.  Ayer  held  up  her  hand.  " You 
must  not  talk  so  before  the  children,"  she 
said  reprovingly.  Her  husband  replied 
that  he  must  talk  before  the  children  if 
he  talked  at  all.  Then  we  womenkind 
returned  to  the  cabin,  where  it  was  dis- 
covered that  the  dogs  had  risen  and  that 
they  required  their  breakfast. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    177 

It  was  interesting  to  see  the  twins  feed 
the  dogs.  They  were  always  a  long 
while  in  the  performance  of  this  duty, 
and  chattered  and  laughed  a  good  deal, 
sometimes  tripping  up  over  a  dog  and 
falling  sprawling  on  the  floor,  push- 
ing against  each  other  in  the  small  room 
and  going  on  in  a  way  to  make  a  nervous 
person  fly  to  the  mountains  for  relief. 
Four  plates  of  food  were  at  last  prepared. 
When  these  were  ready  there  was  always 
a  discussion  as  to  the  nearest  approach 
which  could  be  made  to  an  instantaneous 
and  simultaneous  presentation  of  these 
plates  to  the  animals  who  were  to  eat. 
The  argument  was,  that  if  one  dog  had 
his  dish  a  second  earlier  than  the  others, 
the  others  would  be  grieved ;  in  the 
words  of  the  twins,  "  their  little  feelin's 
would  be  hurt."  I  was  pleased  with 
this  manifestation  of  kindness,  though  the 


178    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

carrying  out  of  the  kindness  was  some- 
times very  wearing. 

"  Ella,  I  say  now,  ain't  yer  ready  ? 
Them  fysts  'bout  starved." 

"  Ellen,  yer  shet  urp.  This  pone 
sticks  so." 

This  kind  of  talk  and  continual  tramp- 
ling in  the  kitchen  appeared  to  be  kept 
up  for  hours.  At  last  the  decisive  mo- 
ment came.  Each  twin  took  a  plate  in 
each  hand  and  in  unison  dived  toward  the 
floor  and  the  selected  dogs,  whose  little 
feelings  were  never  hurt  in  the  way  of 
one  being  served  first.  It  was  at  this 
process  that  we  assisted  as  spectators  on 
our  return  to  the  house.  When  it  was 
over  and  the  twins  had  gone  to  the  spring 
there  was  a  short  season  of  peace.  This 
season  was  interrupted  by  the  appearance 
of  Black  Jake  at  the  open  door.  This 
negro  lived  alone  in  a  new  log  cabin 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    179 

which  Mr.  Ayer  had  built  for  him  a  few 
rods  to  the  north  of  us.  He  had  his  fuel 
and  his  uncooked  food  provided  for  him, 
and  he  did  his  own  housework,  what  there 
was  of  it.  For  each  day  he  worked  for 
Mr.  Ayer  he  was  paid  sixty-five  cents  in 
money.  He  had  assured  the  Ayers  when 
he  came  that  "  he  warn  no  trifiin'  nigger, 
but  one  of  de  stiddy  kind."  He  said 
there  was  nothing  in  the  world  so  stiddy 
as  he  war. 

He  stood  now  balancing  his  long  form 
in  the  doorway,  shutting  out  the  sunlight, 
his  hat  in  his  hand,  grinning  with  em- 
barrassment. 

"Do  you  want  anything?"  asked 
Mrs.  Ayer. 

"  I  meek  bole  ter  see  yo'  ef  you  am  in 
lib'ty,"  he  said. 

"I  suppose  I  am  at  liberty,"  replied 
Mrs.  Ayer.  "Come  in." 


180    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Black  Jake  came  in  and  stood  uneasily 
by  the  fireplace.  He  would  not  sit 
down,  but  remained  there  all  through 
the  interview,  alternately  bending  and 
straightening  himself.  As  he  was  ex- 
tremely tall,  this  bending  and  straightening 
was  quite  a  process,  and  threatened  to 
occupy  our  minds  to  the  exclusion  of  his 
discourse. 

"Wunst,"  he  began,  "I  laid  out  ter 
spick  tu  Mr.  Ayer  on  dis  subjick,  den 
I  tell  myse'f  yo'  is  er  lady  an'  thuffore 
de  properes'  pusson  to  consult.  Hit  am 
er  del' kit  subjeck." 

Here  he  bent  and  then  pulled  himself 
up,  and  we  began  to  be  interested. 

"What  is  the  subject  ?"  inquired 
Mrs.  Ayer. 

"  Marriage,"  said  Jake. 

We  became  still  more  interested. 

"I    knows,"     he     continued,     "  dat 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    181 

'twarn  no  way  ter  enter  cawnjujial  bon's 
'thout  spickin  ter  yo'.  Datter  way  warn 
no  way.  Cawnjujial  bon's  be  too 
solum." 

This  use  of  the  word  he  thought  was 
"conjugal"  seemed  to  afford  him  deep 
enjoyment.  He  paused  and  I  thought 
he  was  trying  to  think  of  a  way  in  which 
he  could  employ  the  term  again.  He 
sank  and  rose,  and  then  gave  up  the 
attempt.  Immediately,  however,  his 
face  brightened  and  he  turned  to  where 
Amabel  and  I  sat  on  the  bed  lounge. 

"You-uns,  ladies,"  he  said,  "has 
entered  cawnjujial  bon's,  an'  kin  advise 
er  pore  colored  man  ? ' ' 

We  shook  our  heads.  We  saw  pity 
come  into  his  black  countenance. 

"  You  have  been  married  three  times 
yourself,  have  n't  you,  Jake  ?  "  said  Mrs. 
Ayer. 


182   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

He  slowly  assented,  and  Mrs.  Ayer 
went  on  to  say  that  she  should  think  he 
could  advise  himself. 

"Dar's  whar  yo''be  mistaken,  Mis' 
Ayer,"  he  said  with  emphasis,  "women 
are  so  different ;  colored  women  I  am 
referencin*  ter.  I  feared  on  um,  yit  I 
lub  um.  I  'm  at  dis  moment  ingaged  ter 
one  in  Asheville.  I  gotter  hab  advice 
fum  some  so'ce.  Yo*  mus'  'spect 
datter  man  need  advice." 

Mrs.  Ayer  leaned  back  in  her  chair 
with  an  air  of  patience.  She  knew  Black 
Jake  better  than  we  knew  him,  and  perhaps 
she  could  guess  to  what  he  was  coming. 

"If  you  are  engaged,  how  can  I 
interfere  now  ?"  she  asked. 

"I'm  not  'spectin*  yo*  tu  int'fere," 
here  his  long  legs  bent.  "  But  sump'n 
gotter  be  done.  She's  ready  ter  be 
married  right  now." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   183 

"  And  you  are  not  ready  ?  " 

"  Yessum.  Dat  is,  I  wouldn't  be 
gwine  to  say  I  warn  ready." 

Mrs.  Ayer  waited  for  this  remark  to  be 
explained  to  her. 

"  Pus'n'lly,  I  be  ready/'  he  said  after 
a  silence. 

Again  Mrs.  Ayer  waited,  and  while 
she  waited  the  twins  came  back  from  the 
spring.  Jake  immediately  went  out  of 
the  house.  He  returned  to  say  with  great 
deliberation  :  — 

"  I  meek  a  p'int  ob  seein'  yo'  'gin  on 
dis  matter,  Mis'  Ayer." 

That  evening  Jake  went  to  Asheville 
and  the  next  morning  a  change  was 
noticed  in  his  appearance ;  all  signs  of 
hilarity  had  left  him. 


184   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER   XI 

A  Missing  Bridegroom. 

FOR  two  or  three  days  after  Black 
Jake's  interrupted  interview  with 
Mrs.  Ayer  we  all  lived  in  a  state 
of  expectation.  We  felt  as  if  something 
were  going  to  happen.  When  a  man  is 
engaged,  and  his  betrothed  professes  herself 
anxious  to  be  married,  and  the  man  de- 
clares himself  "  pussonally  ready,"  people 
naturally  expect  a  wedding.  Mrs.  Ayer 
said  she  had  quite  intruded  her  presence 
upon  Jake  on  several  occasions,  hoping  he 
would  resume  the  subject,  but  he  did  not. 
He  went  round  about  the  farm  with  the 
most  dejected  air,  looking  longer  and 
more  gaunt  than  ever.  It  was  depress- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    185 

ing  to  see  him.  Mr.  Ayer  said  he 
worked  less  than  before,  if  it  were  possi- 
ble to  work  less.  He  had  not  confided 
in  him  at  all,  but  when  the  gentleman 
had  asked  him  what  was  the  matter  he 
had  groaned  and  said  he  was  "  crossed 
in  lub."  Nothing  more  was  said.  We 
all  thought  that  if  Jake  continued  to  be 
thus  crossed  the  mere  sight  of  him  would 
have  almost  as  bad  an  effect  upon  us  as 
though  we  also  were  crossed  in  love. 
The  twins  watched  Jake  with  a  furtive, 
but  intense  interest.  He  had  suddenly 
assumed  an  attraction  for  them. 

"Jake  don't  laugh  no  more,"  said 
Ella,  at  the  dish-washing. 

"No,"  said  Ellen,  solemnly,  "folks  as 
is  crossed  in  love  carn't  laugh,  yer  know." 

It  was  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  a 
gloom  seemed  to  be  settling  over  the 
Ayer  domain. 


i86   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

This  state  of  things  continued  for  about 
a  week,  and  we  were  becoming  so  hard- 
ened as  to  be  able  again  to  enjoy  the 
continued  lovely  weather  and  to  think 
occasionally  of  something  beside  the  pall 
which  Jake  had  cast  over  us.  It  is 
doubtless  dreadful  to  be  crossed  in  love, 
but  life  must  still  go  on. 

We  were  discussing  this  very  subject  in 
a  calmly  cheerful  way,  the  twins  being 
on  an  expedition  for  chips,  when  a 
stranger  appeared  in  the  doorway.  At 
my  first  glance  I  was  struck  with  her 
figure  and  port.  She  was  large,  she 
held  her  head  well  back ;  her  features 
were  modelled  with  the  same  large  free- 
dom. An  eagle  nose  between  well- 
opened,  handsome  eyes,  a  mouth  in 
keeping,  she  seemed  a  kind  of  rude,  un- 
cultured Zenobia.  Here  was  an  opu- 
lence of  physical  power  and  development 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   187 

that  is  rarely  met.  I. had  never  seen  any 
such  woman  before.  She  was  colored, 
but  her  features  were  not  like  those  be- 
longing to  the  negro  race. 

"I  reckon  dis  Mr.  Ayer's  place,  ain't 
it?"  she  asked. 

When  her  question  had  been  answered, 
she  said  she  reckoned  she  mought  's  well 
say  ter  wunst  as  she  war  er  lurkin'  roun' 
fur  dat  no  'count  nigger,  Long  Black 
Jake. 

I  immediately  felt,  as  I  had  not  done 
before,  that  Jake  must  be  a  man  of  some 
consequence  to  have  such  a  woman  as 
this  "lurkin'  roun' "  for  him. 

Mrs.  Ayer  acknowledged  that  Jake 
lived  here,  and  she  added  that  he  had 
been  very  low  in  his  mind  of  late. 

The  stranger  smiled  in  a  gratified  way 
at  this  remark.  Mrs.  Ayer  asked  her  to 
come  in  and  sit  down.  She  walked 


i88  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

across  the  little  room  in  a  way  that 
made  the  cabin  seem  spacious  that  it 
might  accommodate  this  empress-like 
being. 

"  Yes'm,"  said  she,  "  I  ain't  no  ways 
s'prised  ter  year  as  Jake  's  low.  He  orter 
be  low.  I  jes'  bundle  him  outer  my 
house  neck  'n'  crap  when  he  thar  lars* 
time.  I  flung  him  out  wid  dis  fist,"  — 
she  held  up  a  large,  handsome  hand. 
Then  she  laughed,  and  her  laugh  had  a 
ring  in  it  very  unlike  the  husky,  unctuous 
laugh  which  usually  belongs  to  the 
African.  Still  she  seemed  somewhat 
anxious.  She  went  on  :  — 

"Natch'ly  he  thought,  I  reckon,  dat 
our  ingagement  war  broke.  I  don't  hev 
no  doubt  as  er  gen'l'mun  think  ef  he  are 
hustled  out  widout  no  ceremony,  neck  'n' 
crap,  as  de  ingagement  be  broke.  Dat  ?s 
natch'l,  ain't  it,  ma'am  ?" 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    189 

Mrs.  Ayer  replied  that  she  thought  it 
perfectly  natural  for  any  gentleman,  under 
such  circumstances,  to  conclude  that  the 
engagement  was  broken. 

"And  a  few  bones,  too,  perhaps," 
said  Amabel. 

The  visitor  stared  at  her  a  moment, 
then  laughed  again.  It  is  very  rare  to 
find  the  common  negro  understand  humor 
in  the  least,  unless  it  be  of  the  broadest 
burlesque  kind. 

"  Dere  war  a  promise  'twixt  us,"  said 
the  woman,  "  but  de  time  I  flung  him  I 
had  Another  gen'l'mun  in  view.  Now 
de  other  gen'Pmun  done  married  yis- 
terd'y,  an*  Fse  come  roun'  ter  'gin  my 
p'omise  ter  Jake.  I  feared  I  mought  git 
er  fall  'tween  two  stools  if  I  warn  spry 
'bout  huntin'  urp  Jake,  yo'  see,  ma'am." 

Certainly  she  had  made  her  position 
perfectly  clear.  We  wondered  how  Jake 


190   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

would  like  it.  She  went  on  to  say  that 
she  should  simply  state  to  Jake  that  she 
made  a  mistake  "flingin5  him  out  dat 
time,"  and  she  was  now  ready  for 
"  mejit  wedlock."  She  looked  out  of 
the  window  at  the  log  cabin. 

"Dat's  war  we  gwine  to  live,  I 
reckon?  I  c'n  work  fur  yo',  Miss  Ayer, 
an*  Jake  c'n  work  fur  Mr.  Ayer.  I  ain't 
had  no  ole  man  fur  er  long  time.  Gwine 
on  two  year  sence  my  lars'  ole  man  got 
tuk  urp  for  stealin'  an'  war  jugged." 

"  Then  you  have  a  husband  living  ?  " 
cried  Mrs.  Ayer. 

"  No  ma'am.  Dey  say  he  died  in 
prison.  I  ain't  seen  him  die,  but  de 
news  was  brought  ter  me  mighty  straight, 
an'  I  ain't  gwine  ter  'spute  sich  news  as 
dat.  'Twouldn't  be  safe  fur  Bill  ter 
turn  urp  'live  ergin  now.  I  reckon  Bill 
know  dat  ;  he'll  stay  daid,  Bill  will. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   191 

He  warn  bright,  but  he  bright  'nough  ter 
stay  daid." 

We  were  absorbed  in  looking  at  this 
woman,  who  sat  erect  and  majestic  in  her 
chair  as  if  she  were  on  a  throne. 

"I  call  myse'f  er  widder,"  she  said, 
"  an'  I  should  meek  er  p'int  ob  havin'  er 
minister  marry  us.  P'raps  yo'  got  dat 
kindness  in  yo'  heart  dat  yo'll  let  us  hab 
de  wedding  hyar  in  dis  house.  Yo'  see, 
I  done  give  urp  my  room  in  Asheville  dis 
mawnin'  an'  had  my  things  moved  to  er 
cousin's.  I  war  some  back  in  my  rent, 
an'  some  folks  ain't  no  consideration  fur 
er  lady  as  is  back  in  her  rent.  Dar  am 
Jake  now." 

She  was  looking  through  the  doorway 
as  she  spoke.  She  rose.  Jake's  long, 
drawn-out  countenance  changed  to  a  look 
of  wonder  and  then  delight. 

"  Gawdermighty  !  "     he    cried     out. 


192   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"Is  dat  yo',  Sally?  Hab  yo'  come  ter 
meek  urp  wiv  me,  Sally  ? " 

Sally  was  quite  dignified.  She  allowed 
him  to  shake  hands  with  her.  He 
hastened  to  say  he  "  hoped  she  M  'scuse 
him  fur  'bligin*  her  ter  trow  him  ou*  de 
do'  dad  las*  time  he  visited  her  in 
Asheville." 

They  walked  toward  the  log  cabin 
together.  Sally  retraced  her  steps  to 
mention  that  she  hoped  there  would  be 
no  objection  to  having  the  wedding  there, 
and  that  she  should  insist  upon  having  a 
real  minister.  It  was  not  more  than  half 
an  hour  before  Sally  returned  to  us  and 
Jake  went  to  the  wood  pile  and  pretended 
to  cut  wood,  but  his  axe  flew  very  much 
at  random  and  his  eyes  were  on  the 
house.  He  could  see  Sally  through  the 
window.  This  yellow  woman  had  none 
of  the  negro  slowness  about  her.  She 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 


193 


was  shrewd,  too,  in  taking  her  position 
for  granted. 

"Now,  Miss  Ayer,"  she  said,  stand- 
ing with  one  hand  on  her  hip  and  the 
other  hanging  down,  her  whole  aspect  one 
of  strength  and  readiness,  "  I  kin  rerlieve 
yo'  of  all  de  hard  work.  I  'm  stronger  'n 
mos'  any  man.  I  kin  do  ou'  do*  work 
or  housework.  I  meek  no  bones  er  sayin* 
I  kin  do  er  smarter  show  in  er  day  dan 
dat  Jake.  He's  kinder  triflin',  he  is. 
But  I'll  tend  ter  him.  I  ain't  had  no 
old  man  ter  train  in  some  time.  I  Ml 
train  him.  Yo'll  see  he  toe  de  mark. 
I  kin  do  all  de  washin'  an*  cookin'. 
Jes'  like's  not  yo'll  let  me  hab  er  few 
mo'  things  in  de  cabin,  —  on'y  er  few 
mo',  meek  us  mighty  comf'ble." 

I  think  Mrs.  Ayer  must  have  felt  as 
I  did,  that  to  have  Sally  to  the  fore  in 
regard  to  work  would  be  to  have  a  host. 


194   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

I  never  saw  any  man  or  woman  who  gave 
such  a  sense  of  effectiveness.  The  very 
curve  of  that  un-negro-like  nose  was  a 
sort  of  guarantee. 

Mrs.  Ayer  said  she  would  take  Sally. 

"  Yes  *m,"  responded  Sally  promptly. 
"I'll  see  yo'  ain't  sorry  for  dem  words. 
An*  now,  what  time  shell  we  sot  fur  de 
weddin'  ?  Dis  eb'nin'  'bout  eight  ? 
Dad  '11  give  Jake  time  ter  gwi'  ter  Ashe- 
ville,  git  er  few  tings  an*  bring  out  der 
minister.  He  sh'll  meek  er  soon  start. 
Shell  we  say  eight,  Miss  Ayer  ? ' ' 

That  lady  laughed  and  assented. 
Sally's  face  was  very  pleasant  to  see  as 
she  said  :  — 

"I'll  be  grateful  ter  yo'  de  longes' 
day  I  lib,  mighty  grateful.  Jake  sh'll  be 
sent  off  'n  no  time." 

It  was  true.  Jake  was  seen  going 
down  the  mountain  toward  the  State 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    195 

Road  for  Asheville  in  less  than  five  min- 
utes. He  was  walking.  It  is  not  much 
for  these  people  to  walk  six  miles,  or  ten, 
or  twenty.  Sally  had  just  walked  out 
from  the  town. 

Having  set  things  "er  gwine,"  as  she 
said,  she  took  off  her  white  apron  and  her 
sunbonnet.  The  removal  of  the  latter 
showed  her  thick,  waving  hair  with  its 
threads  of  gray.  She  twisted  a  handker- 
chief round  her  head,  pinned  up  her 
skirts  and  began  setting  to  rights  the  log 
cabin  where  she  was  to  live.  She  told 
Mrs.  Ayer  she  would  prepare  the  dinner 
in  her  own  cabin  and  bring  it  down  to 
us.  She  averred  she  was  a  "  sure  enough 
cook";  and  the  dinner,  of  chicken  and 
pone  and  tomato-okra  soup  and  baked 
sweet  potatoes,  was  served  in  such  a  way 
as  to  prove  her  words  true.  Nothing 
seemed  to  fatigue  her.  She  worked  like 


196   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

a  lion, — only  I  believe  lions  do  not  work. 
She  strode  around,  and  "  made  things 
kinder  whiz,"  the  twins  said. 

Just  before  sundown  she  came  to  Mrs. 
Ayer  and  said  she  believed  all  was  ready. 
She  had  brought  a  bundle  with  her  from 
Asheville.  She  had  a  pink  cambric,  the 
one  "  she  'd  ben  married  in  de  las'  time. 
She  had  kep'  it  so  's  she  reckoned  it  would 
do  ter  be  married  in  ergin ;  ef  she  could 
on'y  hev  er  flower-pot  ter  hold  in  her 
hand.  She  believed  it  was  er  good  sign 
fur  de  bride  to  hev  er  flower-pot.  She 
had  n't  had  none  when  she  married  Bill. 

It  turned  out  that  by  a  flower-pot  she 
meant  a  bouquet. 

Having  said  this,  she  walked  out  with 
her  grand  step  and  left  us  to  pluck  the  few 
chrysanthemums  there  were  left  blooming 
in  the  little  wooden  box  at  one  of  the  win- 
dows. The  sight  of  these  had  probably  sug- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    197 

gested  her  bouquet  to  her.  I  have  never 
yet  seen  any  member  of  the  colored  race 
who  was  backward  about  begging  for  what 
was  wanted.  The  twins  were  sent  out 
to  glean  evergreens  from  the  mountain 
side ;  Ristus  and  the  baby  came,  and 
Ristus  helped  festoon  this  greenery  until  it 
seemed  that  we  were  anticipating  Christ- 
mas. We  were  quite  bowery.  When 
Sally  came  in  at  dusk  her  yellow  face 
glowed  with  joy  as  she  looked  about. 
She  flung  up  her  hands  and  gazed  again, 
her  magnificent  figure  full  in  the  glare  from 
the  hearth. 

"  Master  King  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  I 
never  was  so  outdone  ! ' ' 

She  said  "  Master  King "  at  intervals 
in  the  next  few  minutes  and  often  smiled 
to  herself.  As  the  dusk  deepened  and  the 
mountains  encircling  us  grew  blacker  she 
became  anxious  about  Jake.  She  said  he 


198   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

wor  sich  er  onusu'l  triflin'  nigger  he  might 
hev  got  de  minister  an'  den  los'  him,  some 
way.  She  wished  she  had  gone  herse'f, 
on'y  Jake  never  'd  cleaned  urp  de  cabin. 

She  retired  to  her  prospective  dwelling 
soon  after  seven  o'  clock,  and  when  she  re- 
appeared she  was  in  the  pink  cambric.  If 
anything  could  have  made  her  look  like  a 
common  yellow  woman  this  would  have 
done  so.  But  her  noble  physique  domin- 
ated even  over  the  tawdry  finery.  As 
Amabel  remarked,  Jake's  betrothed  could 
not  be  other  than  a  kind  of  Semiramis  or 
Boadicea,  or  "  that  sort  of  a  person,  you 
know." 

As  the  clock  ticked  on  and  no  Jake 
appeared,  we  became  quite  nervous  with 
anxiety  as  we  waited  with  the  bride  in 
the  green-bedecked  room.  Sally  still  in- 
sisted that  Jake  had  probably  once  secured 
the  minister,  but  had  afterward  "lost 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    199 

him."  She  seemed  to  think  that  a 
minister  might  be  lost  something  like  a 
thimble  or  a  jack-knife. 

When  it  lacked  but  a  quarter  to  eight, 
even  Mr.  Ayer  could  not  pretend  to  read 
his  paper  any  more.  Ten  minutes  later 
and  Sally  was  quite  rigid  in  her  gay  gown, 
sitting  in  the  back  of  the  room.  When 
the  twins  were  not  running  into  the  house 
to  announce  that  they  had  been  listening 
and  could  n'  t  «hear  nawthin',  they  were 
dashing  out  to  listen.  Once  I  went 
to  the  stoop.  There  was  not  a  sound, 
save  the  mysterious  mountain  sounds. 
There  was  a  faint  glow  behind  Busbee, 
showing  where  the  moon  was. 

Ristus  was  standing  on  the  stoop.  He 
had  been  invited  to  remain  and  witness 
the  ceremony.  Ole  Pink's  baby  was 
asleep  on  our  bed.  He  expressed  great 
sympathy  for  Sally.  He  said  it  must  be 


2OO  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

jist  awful  ter  be  marrit,  but  it  must  be 
awfuller  ter  think  yer  gwine  ter  be  marrit, 
and  then  not  be  marrit  arfter  all.  He 
offered  to  go  out  looking  for  Jake. 

Sally  had  come  to  the  door  and  over- 
heard this  last  remark.  She  said  we  might 
leave  Jake  to  her.  There  was  that  in  her 
voice  and  manner  that  made  us  all  well 
content  that  Jake  should  be  left  to  her. 

After  this,  time  seemed  to  fly.  It  be- 
came nine  o'clock  very  soon.  Mr.  Ayer 
kept  piling  the  wood  on  the  fire,  and  the 
flames  made  the  green  festoons  look  very 
lovely  ;  but  what  was  their  loveliness  but 
a  mockery  ?  We  were  part  of  a  Bridal 
Party,  with  a  Missing  Groom.  We  al- 
most felt  as  if  we  were  portions  of  an 
illustrated  sensational  story.  Involun- 
tarily I  began  to  make  headings  for 
chapters  —  I  composed  some  extremely 
good  headings. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  201 

The  clock  struck  ten.  I  asked  Mr. 
Ayer  in  a  whisper  what  he  thought  was 
the  matter.  He  said  he  thought  the 
matter  was  that  Jake  had  got  drunk  in 
Asheville  and  would  not  be  able  to  get  out 
of  that  city  before  the  next  day.  He 
further  said  that  sometimes  Jake  took  a 
glass,  and  if  he  took  one  he  always  took  a 
great  many  more. 

At  eleven  o'clock  Sally  rose  and  went  out 
without  speaking.  Ristus  took  the  baby 
and  departed  in  the  moonlight  for  the 
hovel  where  he  lived. 

In  a  few  moments  Sally  returned  in  her 
old  dress.  She  had  a  large,  thick  com- 
forter in  her  arms.  She  asked  per- 
mission to  "  wrap  it  'bout  her  an*  lay  ' 
on  our  floor. 

So  we  all  retired.  The  dogs  were 
evidently  greatly  confused  that,  after  all 
this  preparation,  nothing  had  happened. 


2O2    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER   XII 

Capturing  the  Bridegroom. 

IT  proved  such  exhausting  work  to 
wait  for  a  bridegroom  who  did  not 
come  that  we  all  slept  rather  late 
the  next  morning.  Even  Sally,  worn  out 
by  the  hard  labor  and  the  anxiety  of  the 
day  before,  snored  on  until  after  sunrise 
on  the  floor  in  our  room.  I  was  the  first 
one  who  rose.  I  carefully  stepped  over 
the  yellow  woman  and  went  out  on  the 
stoop,  heavily  wrapped  in  a  shawl.  I 
.knew  what  a  resplendent  pageant  the  sun 
jnade  in  the  morning  among  these  hills,  — 
'a  shifting  glory,  whose  "  smiting  beauty  " 
was  almost  too  much  for  mortal  eyes  to 
bear. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  203 

I  had  not  been  on  the  stoop  five  min- 
utes before  I  heard  steps  from  the  direc- 
tion of  the  valley,  where  the  winding, 
more  solid  wall  of  mist  showed  the 
course  of  the  French  Broad.  I  had 
hardly  said  to  myself,  "It  is  Jake," 
when  a  magnified  figure  came  in  sight, 
and  I  saw  that  it  was  not  Jake,  but  Ristus, 
and  Ristus  without  the  baby. 

I  had  not  yet  become  accustomed  to 
the  metamorphosis  which  trousers  and  a 
hat  had  made  in  the  lad,  and  was  absorbed 
in  admiration  every  time  I  met  him.  As 
he  came  nearer  now,  however,  I  forgot 
my  admiration  in  curiosity  when  I  noted 
the  gravity  and  the  burden  on  the  boy's 
face.  He  took  off  his  hat,  and  I  saw  that 
his  charming  love  locks  were  more  rough 
than  usual  and  were  wet  with  the  fog. 

"  Is  anything  the  matter  with  the 
baby  ?"  I  asked,  quickly. 


204  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Now  'm,  I  "reckon  not.  I  left  her 
'sleep.  I  did  n't  come  'bout  her.  I 
come  'bout  — "  Here  he  lowered  his 
voice  to  almost  a  whisper  and  beckoned 
me  away  from  the  house.  I  followed 
him,  step  by  step,  until  we  were  out 
beside  the  path  that  seemed  to  pitch  off, 
in  the  mist,  into  space. 

"  I  'm  mighty  glad  yer  war  out,"  he 
said,  impressively.  He  raised  his  hand 
and  pointed  solemnly  off  down  the  moun- 
tain, his  young,  sweet  face  filled  with 
awe  and  interest.  "He's  thur;  he's 
down  yan,  —  ter  my  house  ;  I  mean, 
ter  Ole  Pink's  ole  house  ;  he  's  thur." 

"Who's  there?"  I  asked,  almost  as 
much  impressed  as  my  companion.  "  I 
don't  know  whom  you  mean." 

"I  mean  thur  bridegroom,"  with  in- 
tense solemnity,  as  if  he  were  quoting 
from  the  Book  of  Revelations ;  and  I  am 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   205 

sure  he  was  thinking  of  what  he  had 
heard  preachers  read  from  that  book. 

I  repeated  his  words  in  bewilderment. 

"Yes-urn,"  he  said,  "Long  Black 
Jake.  They  called  him  the  bridegroom 
larst  night,  yer  know.  He  *s  down  thur. 
I  foun'  him  er  loppin'  on  thur  roughness 
when  I  gurt  home  after  I  lef'  hyar.  I  Jd 
jes  put  thur  babby  on  the  bed  when  I 
heard  er  groanin*  an*  er  sobbin'.  I  'low 
I  war  scart.  I  das  nj  t  ter  go  outer  thur 
cabin  for  some  time.  Then  I  thought  ef 
'twarn'ter  sperit,  and  war  er  human, 
it  'd  be  mighty  mean  er  me  not  ter  be  er 
helpin'.  I  shook  so  's  I  c'd  hardly  go, 
but  I  went.  I  foun'  Jake.  He  war 
soaked  in  whiskey.  He  didn't  know 
nothin'.  I  gurt  him  in,  an*  I  put  him 
on  the  bed  with  thur  babby.  I  made  er 
big  fire,  an*  I  sot  urp,  fur  thur  wa'  n't 
no  chance  for  me  tu  go  tur  bed ;  't  aint 


206   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

'er  very  wide  bed,  yer  know;  but  it 's  er 
good  bed,  —  what  there  is  of  hit.  I 
never  saw  nothin'  sleep  '  s  he  did,  an'  thur 
cabin  never  had  more  whiskey  smell  in  hit, 
even  when  Ole  Pink  were  full  er  whiskey  ; 
an*  I  thought  no  critter  could  hold  's  much 
whiskey  as  Ole  Pink.  I  've  smelled  er 
mighty  sight  er  whiskey  'n  my  life." 

Ristus  paused  a  moment  to  contemplate 
the  whiskey  he  had  smelled.  But  he 
soon  added  with  even  increased  solem- 
nity :  — 

"But  he's  erwake  now,  an*  he  says 
he  's  erdyin'.  An*  he  earn' t  noways  die 
'thout  gittin'  Sally's  forgiveness.  That 's 
why  I  come  now.  An*  he  says  he  did 
git  thur  minister,  an1  then  he  took  jis  one 
glass  with  thur  minister,  an*  then  he  lost 
thur  minister.  He  says  he  never  took 
but  one  glass.  But  he  's  er  dyin*  now  ; 
leastways  he  says  he  is." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   207 

I  said  that  I  would  get  Sally  imme- 
diately. I  went  back  to  the  cabin  and 
roused  her,  for  she  still  slept.  Directly 
she  was  awake  she  rose  to  her  feet  ; 
stretched  her  arms  above  her  head ;  saw 
the  festoons  of  green ;  suddenly  assumed 
an  alert  attitude,  and  said  she  should 
"  meek  er  soon  start  for  Asheville,  ter 
fin'  dat  bawdacious  nigger." 

I  informed  her,  without  any  preamble 
to  spare  her  feelings,  that  Black  Jake  was 
at  the  hut  where  Ristus  lived,  and  that 
he  had  sent  word  he  was  dying,  but  must 
first  have  her  forgiveness. 

Sally  stood  looking  at  me  sharply. 
I  don't  know  what  she  saw  in  my  face, 
but  she  tossed  up  her  head  and  laughed 
scornfully. 

She  hurriedly  twisted  a  handkerchief 
round  her  head,  and  went  to  the  door 
saying,  "  Whar  be  dat  Ristus  ?  " 


208  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

He  was  waiting.  Sally  stood  up  very- 
straight  and  grand  on  the  stoop.  Her 
large,  handsome  mouth  curled  as  she 
spoke. 

"Yo',  Ristus,  yo',"  she  said,  "  gwi 
back'n'  tell  Long  Black  Jake,  ef  he  ain't 
daid,  dat  I  come  an*  forgive  him  soon  's 
I  fin*  dat  minister  he  los*  lars'  night. 
P'raps  I  sha'n't  git  back  wiv  my  forgiveness 
befo'  evenin'.  Tell  him  he  jes  stay  'live 
twel  den.  Ef  I  don't  many  him  fust, 
den  I  marry  him  lars' .  I  marry  him,  any 
way.  I  don't  take  no  'sultin'  fum  no 
nigger.  Yo'  tell  him  ter  keep  fum  bein' 
daid  twel  I  come." 

By  this  time  the  rest  of  the  household 
were  up,  listening  and  looking.  A  bar 
of  sunlight  fell  through  the  mist  upon 
Sally  as  she  stood  with  her  arm  extended, 
motioning  Ristus  to  go.  The  boy  hesi- 
tated, but  finally  disappeared  in  the  rolling 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  209 

fog.  Then  Sally  turned  to  me  and  said 
with  rising  inflection  :  — 

"  He  got  drunk  ?  " 

I  nodded.  She  laughed.  She  girded 
her  old  shawl  about  her  stately  shoulders, 
told  Mrs.  Ayer  that  she  would  be  in  the 
log  house  in  time  to  cook  our  supper,  and 
walked  off.  As  we  all  watched  her,  Mr. 
Ayer  remarked  that,  if  he  were  Jake,  he 
did  not  know  whether  he  should  stay  alive 
or  get  daid  under  the  circumstances. 

Ristus  did  not  return  to  do  the  chores. 
About  the  middle  of  the  forenoon  Mrs. 
Ayer,  who  is  very  tender-hearted,  decided 
that  it  was  inhuman  not  to  go  down  and 
see  if  Jake  and  the  boy  needed  anything. 
She  filled  a  basket  with  food,  and  we,  with 
the  twins  and  dogs,  set  out.  It  was 
down  hill  all  the  way,  and  some  of  it  so 
steep  that  it  required  a  good  deal  of 
holding  back  on  our  part  to  prevent  our 
14 


2io   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

going  headlong.  The  clear  sun  shone 
warm  upon  us  in  the  sheltered  places, 
and  it  was  difficult  to  believe  that  it  was 
December. 

Ole  Pink's  cabin  stood  bleak  and  bare 
near  its  group  of  deadened  trees.  As  we 
came  nearer  we  saw  that  the  baby  was 
sitting  on  a  heap  of  dry  leaves  just  outside 
the  door.  Approaching  yet  nearer  we 
heard  Black  Jake's  voice  raised  in  lamen- 
tation and  groans.  As  it  ceased  there 
came  the  sound  of  Ristus  speaking. 

"  I  'd  shut  up  my  howlin',  ef  I  war 
yer,  Jake,"  he  was  saying.  "  Yer  one  of 
um  as  wor  allers  gwine  ter  preachin*  an* 
bein*  pious.  Now 's  jes  thur  time  ter  hev 
'ligion  kinder  tell.  Ez  fur  me,  I  don't 
warnt  no  'ligion  thet  ain't  of  no  use. 
I  gurt  sick  er  preachin* .  But  I  hev  meet- 
in*  s  with  thur  Lord  out  hyar  when  I  'm 
'lone.  I  hed  ter  hev  somebody  when  I 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  211 

tuk  that  babby,  an*  thur  warn't  noan  fur 
a  feller  like  me  ter  hev  but  the  Lord. 
Yer  see,  sence  I  hed  the  chile  I  *ve  got 
more  intimate  like  with  thur  Lord." 

It  was  impossible  to  tell  what  effect 
these  words  from  Ristus  had  upon  the 
negro,  for  he  began  to  howl  and  groan 
again  the  moment  the  boy  ceased  speak- 
ing. The  dogs  dashed  into  the  hut,  then 
the  twins  ;  lastly  we  followed. 

Jake  lay  on  the  bed.  Ristus  was 
watching  a  blackened  old  saucepan  which 
was  set  on  a  bed  of  coals  drawn  out  from 
the  fire.  He  greeted  us  with  his  usual 
simplicity,  but  was  absorbed  in  attending 
to  the  saucepan.  He  explained  that  it 
contained  coffee.  He  had  found  some 
among  Ole  Pink's  things  and  he  was 
brewing  it  for  Jake.  He  said  Ole  Pink 
always  wanted  it  after  she  had  been 
drunk. 


212  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Hearing  the  word  "drunk,"  Black 
Jake  raised  himself  on  his  elbow  and  pro- 
claimed amid  sobs  and  tears  that  he  had 
not  been  drunk,  that  he  had  only  taken 
one  glass  with  the  minister.  Then  he 
went  maundering  on  about  the  probability 
that  he  had  committed  the  unpardonable 
sin  and  that  God  could  never  forgive  him, 
let  alone  Sally.  No  one  noticed  him.  I 
watched  Ristus,  who  went  on  serenely 
brewing  his  coffee.  When  Mrs.  Ayer 
began  to  unpack  her  basket  the  boy's  face 
lighted  beautifully.  He  said  he  reckoned 
he  would  give  one  er  thur  little  cakes  to 
the  babby,  and  he  did  so,  then  returned 
to  the  fire. 

Very  soon  there  was  quite  a  bounteous 
repast  served.  It  was  wonderful  to  see 
Black  Jake  eat  and  drink,  and  almost  as 
wonderful  to  see  Ristus.  But  Ristus  did 
not  forget  to  feed  the  baby,  who  finally 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  213 

sank  back  on  the  floor  of  the  cabin  motion- 
less from  repletion.  Ristus  threw  his 
old  coat  over  her  and  then  continued  eat- 
ing. It  seemed  to  me  that  Jake  must  die 
of  apoplexy  in  spite  of  his  longness  and 
his  thinness.  But  all  through  his  enorm- 
ous meal  he  kept  up  the  airs  of  an  invalid. 
He  continued  to  half  recline  on  his  couch. 
He  would  groan  as  often  as  he  could  think 
to  do  so.  Several  times  he  remarked  that 
he  must  try  "  ter  eat  sumpin*  fur  ter  keep 
his  strength  up."  He  told  us  «'  lars' 
night's  sickness  had  took  his  stren'th  'way 
pow'ful." 

Amabel  advised  him  to  eat  to  live.  He 
seemed  grateful  to  her  for  that  remark. 
He  said  :  "  Dat  war  er  fac*  ;  no  nigger 
could  git  erway  fum  er  fac'  like  dat. 
Ristus/'  he  said,  "give me  dat  coP  meat. 
I  *se  boun*  ter  eat  ter  lib." 

He  explained  to  us  how  he  was  dying 


214  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

a  short  time  ago,  and  he  reckoned  it  a 
mericle  that  he  was  alive  now.  It  was 
nothing  short  of  an  interposition  of  Provi- 
dence. He  grew  more  and  more  talkative. 
He  said  he  had  "  jes  breshed  inter  de 
Valley  ob  de  Shadder  ob  Death."  He 
reckoned  Sally  done  los*  him  one  time. 
But  now,  ef  he  could  on'y  eat  er  rem- 
nant er  two  —  why  he  called  his  meal  a 
"remnant  or  two"  I  could  not  imagine 
—  "ferto  keep  urp  his  strength,"  Sally 
might  still  be  blessed.  He  grew  quite 
brave.  He  affirmed  that  when  Sally 
knew  "  ob  his  breshin*  inter  de  valley  in 
datter  way,  she  be  done  struck  urp  wiv 
thankfulness."  The  idea  was  that  Sally 
would  be  so  filled  with  gratitude  for 
his  preservation  that  the  question  of  for- 
giveness would  be  forgotten. 

He  sat  up  a  little  more  on  the  sack  of 
straw   whereon    he   had   been   reposing. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    215 

He  had  a  rib  of  beef  in  one  hand  and  a 
thick  piece  of  pone  in  the  other,  and  oc- 
casionally he  made  a  gesture  with  the 
beef,  then  with  the  pone. 

"  Yo*  see,  ladies/'  he  said,  "from my 
state  now,  what  I  mus*  hev  suffered. 
Yo'  don't  tink  no  common  sufferings  kep* 
me  erway  from  my  own  weddin'  ? 
When  Sally  she  come  ter  see  wiv  her  own 
eyes,  she  unnerstan'  — "  (here  a  wave  of 
of  the  beef)  ;  "  she  wor  no  fule  when  she 
pomus  ter  marry  me,  I  tell  yo* —  "  (a 
wave  with  the  pone) .  "  Sally  be  mighty 
tankful  I  'se  live  't  all.  Sally  tank  de 
Lord  —  "  he  raised  both  the  pone  and 
the  beef,  glanced  at  the  door,  dropped  his 
hands,  and  sank  back  collapsed  on  the  bed. 

We  all  turned  and  looked  where  Jake 
was  steadily  gazing.  Sally  was  in  the 
doorway.  Behind  her  tall  stature,  and 
looking  very  small  indeed,  we  had  a 


216  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

glimpse  of  a  young  man  in  a  white 
necktie.  Sally  walked  in  and  the  young 
man  followed  her.  He  was"  bright  " 
colored,  having  less  negro  blood  in  him 
than  had  Sally. 

"I  foun*  dis  gen'lman  terde Junction,** 
said  Sally  addressing  the  assembled  people 
in  the  cabin.  "So*s  I  didn't  hev  ter 
go  ter  Asheville.  He  jes  fum  Shiloh. 
He*s  er  ordained  man.  I  s*pose  you*se 
ready,  Jake?*' 

She  looked  down  at  Jake,  who  was 
huddled  on  the  bed  as  if  he  were  an 
insect. 

"I*se  been  *bout  daid,**  began  Jake 
feebly. 

"Long's  yer  ain*t  daid,  stan*  urp," 
said  Sally  unequivocally. 

Notwithstanding  Jake's  hesitation,  his 
face  showed  that,  with  all  his  fear,  he  was 
glad  to  see  Sally. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    217 

Jake  got  up  as  far  as  to  be  on  his 
knees.  In  this  position  he  clasped  his 
hands  and  mumbled  something  about  *'  for- 
giveness." 

"I'll  marry  yo'  fus'  an'  I'll  fur- 
give  yo'  arfter,"  said  Sally.  "Stan* 
urp." 

Jake  rose  to  his  full  height.  Then,  as 
his  custom  was  when  embarrassed,  he  sank 
and  rose  twice  before  he  seemed  to  be  able 
to  maintain  his  position. 

It  was  not  five  minutes  later  before  the 
little  minister  from  Shiloh  had  made  the 
two  man  and  wife,  and  in  that  brief 
time  Jake  had  so  revived  that  he  was 
smiling  very  broadly  by  the  time  the  cere- 
mony was  finished. 

"Now,"  said  Sally,  "yo*  jes  go 
'bout  yer  work  an'  I  '11  go  'bout  mine. 
I'se  got  er  pow'ful  heap  er  work  ter  do 
fur  Miss  Ayer  'fore  night.  G'long!" 


2i8  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Jake  did  not  dare  to  hesitate.  But  he 
went  very  slowly  out  of  the  cabin.  He 
turned  back  once,  but  Sally  was  standing 
just  outside  and  motioned  for  him  to  go 
on,  and  he  went  on. 

The  yellow  woman  returned  to  us. 
She  put  her  head  back  and  laughed. 

"Law  me!"  she  exclaimed,  "t'aint 
no  way  ter  begin  er  knucklin'  down  ter 
er  man.  No  way,  datter  way  ain't.  Jis 
tek  yer  stan'  and  stan'  dar.  Dat's  my 
way.  I  know  um.  It's  good  fur  um 
ter  be  trod  onder.  Keep  um  down.  Yo* 
kin  be  good  ter  um  now  an*  den,  but  not 
oftener.  Don't  do.  Dey  gits  de  upper 
han's,  den  yo'  ain't  nowhar.  Now,  my 
way  is  ter  hev  de  upper  han's  myse'f." 

She  spread  out  her  well-formed,  strong 
hands  with  a  fine  movement.  She  laughed 
again,  then  she  walked  away  up  the  hill 
toward  Mrs.  Ayer's. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  219 

CHAPTER   XIII 

The  Phantom  Portrait 

CHRISTMAS  day  passed  with  ex- 
treme  quietness  on  our  moun- 
tain. Everybody  who  could 
do  so  went  to  Asheville.  On  the  path 
which  circles  round  below  us  we  saw, 
about  sunrise,  several  carts  moving  to- 
ward the  town  ;  they  came  from  farms 
even  more  remote  than  ours,  and  were 
going  to  the  State  Road  by  the  nearest 
ways,  bumping  and  sidling  about  among 
the  deep  ruts.  On  the  bottom  of  each 
cart  were  seated  the  women  with  their 
babies.  They  were  chewing  snuff  and 
calling  to  each  other  in  their  flat,  nasal 
voices  that  seem  as  devoid  of  ex- 


22O  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

pression  as  do  their  yellow,  thin  faces. 
I  have  not  seen  a  fat  mountain  woman. 
Evidently  this  region  and  this  way  of  life 
are  not  favorable  to  the  secretion  of 
adipose  tissue. 

Amabel  and  I  wandered  out  upon  the 
cart-path  that  we  might  see  these  people. 
We  met  two  men  on  fine- looking  horses, 
each  man  having  a  woman  behind  him, 
clasping  him  about  the  waist.  Each 
woman  had  on  a  white  apron  with  a 
ruffle  at  the  bottom  of  it.  As  they  came 
opposite,  the  men  took  off  their  hats,  and 
the  women  said  "  Howdy  ?  "  staring  per- 
sistently, as  we  also  did.  In  one  of  the 
carts,  with  three  other  women  almost  as 
repulsive,  I  felt  sure  I  saw  Ole  Pink. 
Her  head  was  set  far  back  in  a  dingy 
sunbonnet  and  she  scrupulously  continued 
to  look  the  other  way  after  her  first  glance 
at  us ;  but  it  was  Ole  Pink.  Sally  and 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  221 

her  new  husband  had  started  long  ago  for 
the  walk  to  Asheville.  Sally  said  she 
would  be  back  in  time  to  make  us  egg- 
nog  in  the  evening  ;  we  knew  better  than 
that.  A  few  broad- hatted  mountaineers, 
with  guns  in  the  hollow  of  the  arm  came 
loping  toward  us  from  the  long  vista  of 
the  path,  crossing  light  and  shade  in  the 
most  picturesque  manner.  Almost  every- 
thing is  picturesque  here.  Squalor  often 
enough  has  the  picture  element  in  it,  but 
the  thrifty  country  is  more  rarely  the 
place  for  the  artist. 

We  never  go  to  walk  without  finding 
broad  flakes  of  mica  glittering  in  the  loose 
soil.  Amabel  professed  to  be  greatly 
astonished  at  this.  She  declared  that  she 
did  not  know  that  mica  grew  in  this  way, 
but  had  thought  it  was  manufactured. 
She  seemed  perfectly  reckless  in  thus 
proclaiming  her  ignorance  of  geology. 


222   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

The  twins  assured  us  that  it  had  growed 
on  these  mountings  sence  afore  they  was 
horned  ;  there  was  a  right  smart  of  it 
everywhere. 

The  twins  had  joined  us  in  this  stroll, 
bursting  out  of  the  woods  with  the  dogs, 
and  rushing  around  us  like  hurricanes,  but 
with  shrieks  and  laughter  like  children. 

It  was  on  this  occasion  that  we  made 
what  seemed  to  us  a  very  singular  discov- 
ery, or  rather  the  twins  made  the  discov- 
ery, and  shouted  to  us,  dancing  up  and 
down  in  their  excitement.  They  stood 
by  the  stump  of  an  enormous  white  oak 
which  had  been  sawn  down ;  consequently 
the  stump  had  a  broad  smooth  surface. 

Ella  pointed  a  dingy  finger  at  Amabel 
while  she  screamed  "  It  *s  her  !  It 's  her! 
Jis  luke  at  it !  "  and  then  Ellen  extended 
her  finger  and  echoed  the  tone  and  the 
words. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   223 

We  supposed  it  was  some  poor  jest  that 
was  enacting,  and  we  were  very  leisurely 
in  approaching,  while  the  children  danced 
in  impish  impatience,  and  the  dogs  nosed 
around  the  roots.  The  twins  appeared  to 
regard  their  discovery  in  the  light  of 
something  miraculous. 

When  at  last  we  reached  the  spot  I  was 
inclined  to  the  idea  of  a  miracle  myself, 
for  there  was  sketched,  on  the  top  of  the 
stump,  the  full-length  figure  of  a  woman, 
in  a  round  hat  with  face  turned  aside. 
The  lines  were  of  the  very  fewest  and 
roughest ;  it  was  not  much  more  than  the 
hint  of  a  sketch,  with  no  technical  skill  in 
it,  but  the  figure  and  the  attitude  were 
unmistakably  the  figure  and  the  attitude  of 
Amabel,  who  stood  now,  quite  stiff  with 
surprise,  gazing  at  the  stump.  The  work 
was  evidently  done  with  a  bit  of  half- 
burnt  wood.  Indeed,  the  black  stick  was 


224   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

dropped  near,  and  Little  Bull  was  at  this 
moment  turning  it  over  with  his  nose. 

My  friend  looked  frightened  and  I  also 
felt  a  sense  of  something  eerie  hanging 
about  us.  At  last  I  suggested  to  Amabel 
that  she  must  have  a  lover  among  these 
mountains.  She  held  up  her  hand  to  stop 
me.  I  had  never  seen  her  look  more 
serious. 

"Don't  make  light  of  this,"  she  said. 
"It  must  be  a  warning.  It's  a  fore- 
runner." 

"A  forerunner  of  what  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  Perhaps  of  the  shakes ; 
or  a  rattlesnake  bite ;  or  that  I  'm  going 
to  be  a  snuff  chewer. ' ' 

She  looked  again  at  the  picture  with 
absolute  terror  in  her  face.  But  she  could 
not  tell,  as  we  could,  how  very  like  the 
sketch  was  to  her.  After  the  twins  had 
gazed  at  us  a  moment,  a  look  of  fear  came 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   225 

into  their  expression.  As  we  at  last 
walked  homeward  they  kept  glancing 
back,  as  if  the  thing  on  the  stump  would 
rise  up  and  pursue  us.  I  was  conscious 
of  a  reciprocal  sensation ;  and  yet,  now 
that  I  could  not  see  the  sketch,  I  began  to 
doubt  whether  I  had  seen  it  at  all.  Was 
it  possible  that  there  was  an  outline  por- 
trait of  my  friend  on  the  top  of  a  stump 
here  on  a  North  Carolina  mountain  ?  I 
laughed  at  my  fancies.  I  fugitively 
glanced  at  Amabel  and  was  not  cheered 
by  her  awe-struck  countenance.  When 
we  had  gone  a  litde  farther  my  companion 
asked  me  if  I  believed  in  Spiritualism ;  if 
I  had  ever  entered  into  psychic  research, 
and  what  I  thought  of  the  astral  body. 
These  questions  helped  to  cast  a  gloom 
upon  the  benignant  winter  sunshine.  I 
did  not  go  by  a  large  tree  on  the  way  to 
the  cabin  without  imagining  that  tree 
15 


226    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

sawn  down  and  a  charcoal  sketch  upon 
the  stump ;  perhaps  a  sketch  of  me. 
What  was  I  that  I  was  not  as  likely  to  be 
taken  in  this  way  as  any  one?  Nay, 
perhaps  already  there  was  a  smooth 
stump  in  North  Carolina  woods  with  my- 
self in  black  and  white  upon  it.  And 
what  a  touch  of  skill  there  was  in  the 
lines !  Altogether  this  discovery  was 
mysterious  and  charming,  and  somehow 
dreadful. 

Amabel  and  I  agreed  that  if  the  twins 
had  not  known,  we  would,  for  the 
present,  have  kept  the  affair  a  secret, 
while  we  made  stealthy  investigations. 
But  the  twins  did  know,  and  they  pro- 
claimed their  knowledge  the  moment  they 
stepped  foot  in  the  cabin. 

What  they  said  was  that  "  thur  war  er 
pictur  er  Miss  Am'bel  in  thur  woods,  an* 
they  reckoned  the  devil  must  er  done 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  227 

hit  with  er  stick  outer  his  fire ;  an* 
should  n't  they  go  ter  the  Junction  fur  er 
preacher  ? " 

It  was  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  Mrs. 
Ayer  was  bewildered,  and  she  continued 
bewildered  when  we  had  made  all  the 
explanation  possible.  After  an  animated 
discussion  of  the  subject,  Mrs.  Ayer  made 
the  only  sensible  remark  which  had  yet 
been  spoken.  She  said  that  probably  one 
of  the  northern  artists  who  come  to  these 
mountains  for  "material"  had  done  this 
thing.  This,  indeed,  was  reasonable ; 
but  in  my  secret  heart  I  did  not  accept 
these  reasonable  words.  What  truly 
feminine  soul  would  immediately  have 
given  up  all  the  glamour  of  mystery  con- 
nected with  the  discovery  of  that  sketch  ? 
And  was  it  likely  that  a  northern  artist 
would  have  spent  a  moment  in  the 
delineation  of  a  figure  which  had  nothing 


228   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  local ' '  about  it  ?  Besides,  the  thing 
was  not  the  work  of  an  artist,  it  was  the 
work  of  an  ignorant  hand  with  a  natural 
"gift."  Before  the  sun  had  set  we  had 
taken  Mrs.  Ayer  to  view  our  discovery. 
We  were  gratified  to  see  that  it  made  as 
strong  an  impression  upon  her  as  it  had 
done  upon  us.  She  stood  with  dropped 
chin  gazing  from  it  to  Amabel,  and  then 
back  again.  She  ejaculated  that  she  had 
had  no  idea  !  As  we  walked  back  from 
this  second  visit  to  what  Amabel  called 
The  Stump,  Amabel  again  fell  to  discuss- 
ing the  subject  of  the  astral  body.  She 
said  she  was  not  very  clear  in  her  ideas 
as  to  what  an  astral  body  was,  but  she 
did  not  suppose  any  one  could  have 
clear  ideas  on  that  topic.  Still,  if  she 
thought  anything,  she  guessed  she  thought 
that  the  sketch  on  The  Stump  was  made 
by  spirit  hands  and  referred  in  some 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   229 

inscrutable  way  to  her  own  astral  body. 
She  wished  she  could  find  a  medium  at 
a  moment  when  all  the  conditions  should 
happen  to  be  right,  both  in  this  world 
and  the  next,  so  that  the  medium  might 
explain  about  that  picture.  Did  they  have 
mediums  in  Asheville  ?  But  if  they  did 
have  them  she  did  not  suppose  the  con- 
ditions would  be  right,  there  would  be  an 
electric  current  somewhere  where  there 
ought  not  to  be  one,  or  there  would  not  be 
one  where  it  was  proper  an  electric  current 
should  be,  and  so  the  medium  would  be 
obliged  to  try  again  —  for  a  consideration. 
She  wished  now  she  had  studied  more  into 
psychic  research,  that  winter  she  had 
been  in  Boston ;  but  naturally  she  had 
not  contemplated  any  such  circumstance  as 
this.  There  was,  however,  no  telling 
when  a  person  might  stand  in  need  of 
knowledge  about  psychic  things  ;  a  person 


230    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

might  want  that  kind  of  knowledge  all  in 
a  flash,  as  you  needed  a  pistol  when  a 
burglar  entered  your  room  at  midnight. 
She  said  we  might  laugh  at  her  if  we 
chose,  but  she  guessed  if  we  ever  found 
our  portraits  on  stumps  we  should  wish 
we  could  find  out  what  occult  power  had 
done  the  work. 

It  was  thus  my  friend  prattled  as  we 
toiled  over  the  rough  mountain  side  on 
our  return,  stopping  occasionally  to  pick 
up  a  particularly  fine  piece  of  mica,  or  to 
poke  over  the  dark  earth  in  search  of  one  of 
those  rare  gems  which  are  sometimes  found 
here.  A  bit  of  mica  is  not  good  for  any- 
thing under  the  sun,  but  one  has  to  secure 
it  all  the  same. 

Since  we  have  made  the  discovery  con- 
cerning the  sketch,  not  a  day  has  passed 
that  we  have  failed  to  visit  what  is  usually 
known  among  us  as  the  "phantom  por- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   231 

trait."  Every  time  we  start  forth  from  the 
cabin  we  go  with  a  feeling  that  something 
may  happen  when  we  get  to  the  stump.  It 
would  be  hard  to  tell  what  it  is  we  expect 
to  happen.  There  is  a  delightful  palpita- 
tion in  our  pulses  when  we  catch  the  first 
glimpse  of  the  place.  We  look  at  each 
other.  Has  there  been  any  change? 
The  dogs  know  exactly  where  we  are 
going,  but  they  seem  to  have  no  sense  of 
the  mysterious,  they  have  concluded 
that  it  is  only  a  common  stump,  and  they 
are  sorry  for  us  that  we  think  it  is  any- 
thing more. 

The  sketch  has  become  much  obscured 
in  a  pouring  rain  we  have  had  since 
Christmas.  Very  soon  there  will  be  no 
sketch  there.  But  we  can  always  know 
that  there  has  been  one. 

I  should  hardly  have  dared  to  say  so 
much  about  this  particular  incident  i£ 


232    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

something  had  not  at  last  happened  upon 
one  of  our  visits  to  this  spot. 

Before  we  could  see  the  place  yesterday 
we  heard  the  dogs  barking  frantically. 
They  had  gone  on  ahead  of  us,  and  of 
course  were  on  the  spot.  They  bark  a 
good  deal  when  human  reason  can  find  no 
cause  for  such  barking.  This  time,  how- 
ever, there  was  something  in  their  tones 
which  thrilled  us  with  expectation.  We 
even  paused,  undecided  whether  to  go  on  or 
not.  But  curiosity  was  stronger  than  fear. 
We  came  out  upon  an  opening  from  whence 
the  dogs  were  visible.  There  was  a  man 
sitting  on  the  portrait  stump.  Does  this 
seem  a  very  small  announcement  to  make  ? 
You  may  be  sure  the  fact  was  not  small  to 
us.  This  man  was  plainly  from  the  en- 
lightened regions  of  the  world.  He  might 
even  have  come  from  New  York.  He 
did  not  see  us.  He  was  absorbed  by  the 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    233 

dogs.  He  wore  a  corduroy  cap;  his 
long,  many-pocketed  ulster  was  opened 
and  revealed  a  velvet  coat,  and  a  watch- 
chain  with  charms  attached.  His  entire 
suit  was  made  of  too  large  a  checked  cloth. 
He  had  rather  long  gray  hair,  a  very  long 
gray  moustache  curled  up  at  the  ends,  and 
a  little  pointed  beard.  His  eyelids  were 
swollen,  and  his  cheeks  puny  under  his 
eyes.  His  gloves  lay  on  the  ground  at 
his  feet.  He  had  a  sketching  pad  on  his 
knees,  but  his  attention  was  given  to  the 
dogs.  We  had  time  to  study  him  quite 
exhaustively,  and  were  about  going  away, 
thinking  we  had  found  the  maker  of  our 
sketch,  when  he  turned,  saw  us,  instantly 
rose,  and  took  off  his  cap. 


234  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER  XIV 

The  Man  in  the  Ulster 

AT  the  moment  when  the  man  in 
the  ulster  rose  and  took  off  his 
cap  we  felt  as  if  something  out 
of  a  novel  were  going  to  happen,  or  that  it 
would  be  only  just  to  circumstances  that 
something  should  happen.  In  view  of  all 
possibilities  I  could  have  wished  that  the 
cheeks  of  this  person  had  been  less  sug- 
gestively puffy.  Still,  he  removed  his  cap 
with  a  quite  bewitching  flourish,  and  bowed 
so  low  that  if  he  had  gone  one  inch  nearer 
the  ground  his  salutation  would  have  been 
a  burlesque.  As  it  was,  in  his  way  he 
appeared  to  be  as  respectful  as  the  twins 
were  in  their  way.  The  intentness  of 


IN  BUNCOMBE  CQJLJ.NTY.  235 

his  look  was  given  to  Amabel  j  he 
naturally  recognized  that  he  had  just  been 
sitting  on  her  portrait.  His  remark  threw 
us  back  again  into  the  darkness  of  our 
ignorance  concerning  the  picture. 

He  said,  of  course  it  was  I  who  had 
thus  caught  the  likeness  of  my  friend. 
He  congratulated  me.  He  took  off  his 
hat  again.  I  told  him  timidly  that  we 
had  just  now  supposed  this  was  his 
work. 

He  smiled  in  a  large  manner.  He 
thanked  me.  He  explained  that,  though 
he  was  an  artist,  he  had  not  been  in  this 
spot  for  fifteen  years,  or  thereabouts. 
He  looked  about  him  as  if  he  paid  a 
compliment  to  the  scenery  by  admiring 
it. 

I  was  watching  this  stranger,  feeling  in 
a  dim  way  that  he  reminded  me  of  some 
one. 


236   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

He  buttoned  his  ulster  and  put  his 
sketching  pad  in  his  pocket.  He  talked 
all  the  time  in  rather  a  husky  voice. 
Would  we  be  kind  enough  to  tell  him 
where  we  were  staying?  Thanks.  He 
hoped  to  meet  us  again.  He  was  in 
Asheville.  He  should  take  means  to  see 
us.  He  complimented  me  on  my  artistic 
ability,  assuming  still  that  I  had  done  the 
sketch.  "  Crude,  certainly,  but  having 
power."  With  another  sweeping  bow 
he  walked  away  toward  the  State  Road. 

It  is  true  there  had  been  no  rescue  of 
anybody,  but  how  excitingly  near  the 
verge  of  something  we  seemed  to  be  ! 
It  was  comforting  to  remember  that  in 
these  days  rescues  are  no  longer  necessary. 
The  modern  novel  has  no  rescues.  It 
hardly  has  anything  so  striking  as  the 
meeting  with  a  man  who  wears  long  gray 
moustachios.  Long  gray  moustachios 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  237 

verge  too  much  on    the   romantic;  they 
detract  from  the  realistic. 

We  lingered  long  on  our  return  walk. 
When  at  last  we  came  in  sight  of  the 
Ayer  cabin  we  saw  Sally's  tall  figure 
coming  toward  us  with  such  celerity  of 
movement  and  energy  of  gesture  that  we 
knew  something  had  transpired. 

She  struck  her  hands  together  as  she 
explained  :  — 

"  I  done  ben  lookin'  all  ober  de  farm 
fur  you-uns.  Jake,  he's  I  dunno  whar; 
Mr.  Ayer  he  's  ter  de  Junction  ;  de  twins 
ain't  no  'count,  an'  are  jes  er  flyin'  roun' 
on  dere  heads  an  urpsettin'  their  se'fs'  an' 
everybuddy  else  off  dere  laigs.  Mrs. 
Ayer  she  doin'  what  one  woman  kin,  but 
one  woman  carn't  meek  er  worl'  an'  set 
broken  laigs  an'  arms  besides,  kin  she  ? 
An'  't  ain't  ter  our  cabin,  nuther." 

Naturally  these  words  gave  us  no  lucid 


238   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

idea  of  anything.  She  turned  and  began 
to  stride  rapidly  along,  while  we  followed. 
She  reached  Mrs.  Ayer's  barn,  led  out  a 
horse  and  began  saddling  it.  She  was 
muttering  to  herself  about  no  one's  know- 
ing nuthin',  an*  she  an*  Mrs.  Ayer 
could  n't  meek  er  worl',  nohow. 

In  a  twinkling  the  side-saddle  was  on, 
the  girths  fastened,  the  bridle  adjusted. 
She  turned  to  me.  She  said  I  was  the 
best  rider  and  I  was  to  "git  urp." 

I  never  thought  of  resisting.  She  held 
out  her  hands  and  nearly  lifted  me  into 
my  seat.  She  pulled  down  my  skirts,  she 
tore  a  switch  from  a  peach-tree  close  to 
us.  She  had  a  force  and  a  magnetism 
which  I  have  never  seen  equalled. 

"  Now  don't  yo'  spare  dat  mare  !  " 
she  said. 

Amabel  reached  out  her  hand  and 
grasped  the  bridle. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   239 

"  Do  you  know  where  you  are  going  ? " 
she  asked  with  energy. 

I  looked  helplessly  at  Sally,  whose 
handsome  face  unbent  into  a  swift 
laugh. 

"I'm  er  bawdacious  fool !  "  she  said. 
"I  done  thought  I  tole  yo'.  Yo'  gwi* 
straight  ter  Asheville  fur  er  doctor  ter 
come  quick.  Man  broke  every  bone  in 
him  down  yan,"  flinging  out  her  hand, 
"clus  by  Ole  Pink's  house,  yo'  know. 
I  foun*  him.  I  run  fur  Mrs.  Ayer. 
Carn't  fin'  even  dat  Ristus.  Carn't  fin' 
nobuddy.  Gwine  ter  try.  Carn't  stan' 
er  chatterin'." 

Again  she  waved  her  hand,  —  this  time 
for  me  to  go,  and  I  started,  experiencing 
a  pleasurable  excitement.  I  hope  the 
pleasure  did  not  arise  from  the  fact  that 
a  man  had  broken  every  bone  in  him 
"down  yan." 


240   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Not  until  the  mare  was  cantering  along 
the  State  Road  did  it  occur  to  me  who  it 
was  who  had  been  hurt.  But  of  course 
the  fair  reader  has  already  guessed  that  it 
was  the  artist  with  the  picturesque  mous- 
tache. The  fair  reader  is  right.  It  was 
he. 

I  conducted  the  doctor  back  along  the 
bewildering  tangle  of  mountain  roads  to 
Ole  Pink's  cabin.  As  we  approached, 
Sally  came  forth.  She  had  succeeded  in 
finding  a  couple  of  big,  loosely-built 
mountaineers,  and  they  had  carried  the 
stranger  into  this  cabin  and  put  him  on 
that  sack  of  straw  which  Ristus  called  a 
"  good  bed  what  thur  was  of  hit." 

These  two  men  were  now  near  the 
ash-hopper,  straddling  about,  occasionally 
speaking  a  brief  word,  or  nodding  to  a 
word  that  had  been  spoken. 

We   heard    a  voice    inside    the    cabin 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   241 

groaning  and  swearing.  The  swearing 
appeared  to  give  the  mountain  men  a 
grim  satisfaction.  I  was  left  alone  with 
these  men.  I  questioned  one  of  them. 
He  told  me  he  had  no  acquaintance 
with  "thur  fellow  as  had  broke  hisself  all 
urp,  but  from  thur  heap  er  pockets  in  his 
coat,  an*  other  signs,  he  reckoned  he  war 
er  Yank.  Er  painter  feller,  likely. 
Painter  fellers  come  hyar  now  an*  then. 
Thur  war  all  kinds  of  folks  in  thur 
world,  painters  with  thur  rest." 

Having  said  this  he  left  me  alone.  I 
sat  down  upon  a  fallen  dead  tree  and 
gave  myself  up  to  gloom.  The  sun  was 
now  clouded.  The  groans  and  cursing  in 
the  cabin  had  ceased. 

Presently  I  saw  Ristus  coming  up  from 

a  deeper  depth  in  the  valley.      He  had  a 

large   tin  bucket  of  water  in  one  hand. 

The  baby  was   on  his  other  arm.     He 

16 


242   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

left  the  bucket  at  the  door  of  the  hut,  then 
came  to  me. 

"I  war  sant  fur  water,* *  he  said,  sit- 
ting down  on  the  log.  He  took  off  his 
hat  and  drew  his  sleeve  across  his  wet 
forehead.  He  had  been  toiling  a  long 
way  with  his  two  burdens  and  his  fair 
face  was  flushed  deeply. 

"  Do  yer  know  what  he  is  ? '  '  he  said 
with  a  tragic  emphasis,  pointing  toward 
the  hut. 

I  shook  my  head.     I  did  not  understand. 

Ristus  drew  nearer  in  growing  excite- 
ment. The  baby  wailed,  yet  he  did  not 
seem  to  hear  it.  I  took  the  child  in  my 
arms. 

"I  know,'*  said  the  boy.  "I  saw 
what  war  in  his  pockits.  He  paints. 
He  drors.  He  makes  picters  outer  them 
mountings,  —  them  glories  everlastin*  an* 
unspeakable." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   243 

Ristus's  face  began  to  shine  and  his 
voice  to  tremble.  The  innocence  and 
the  sweetness  of  him  seemed  suddenly 
infused  with  an  enthusiastic  strength. 

He  was  standing  now,  and  looking  off 
down  the  valley  which,  at  the  end, 
seemed  blocked  in  by  illimitable  moun- 
tains. 

"He  kin  dror  them,"  he  said,  with 
long,  indrawn  breath.  «« Jis  ter  think  of 
hit  !  I  hain't  never  had  nowthin*  ter 
work  with,  on'y  bits  er  brown  paper, 
an*  burnt  sticks,  an7  sich.  I  ain't  gurt 
no  show,  I  hain't.  I  pray  Godermighty 
that  He  '11  give  me  jis  one  grain  of  er 
show.  I  feel  hit  in  me  as  I  could  paint 
an'  dror.  But  how  kin  I  do  hit  with 
on'y  them?" 

As  he  spoke  the  last  words  he  turned 
intensely  toward  me  and  held  out  his 
grimy  hands  with  a  quick  gesture. 


244    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

My  excitement  was  now  almost  as 
great  as  his.  The  baby  slipped  from  my 
hold  to  the  ground  and  began  to  grovel 
and  gurgle  in  the  dirt  unheeded. 

"  It  is  you  who  drew  that  sketch  on 
the  stump,  — that  sketch  of  Amabel  !  " 
I  cried  out. 

The  lad's  face  became  burning  red. 
His  lips  quivered  as  he  looked  down  at  me. 

"  Did  yer  know  't  war  Miss  Am'bel  ? " 
he  asked,  tremulously. 

"  Know  it  ?     It  was  unmistakable.'* 

He  clasped  his  hands.  He  was  silent 
for  a  long  time,  looking  off  at  that  moun- 
tain guard  of  the  valley.  The  child 
crawled  away  and  dabbled  her  fingers  in 
the  lye  which  had  dripped  from  the 
hopper. 

I  watched  the  face  from  which  the 
broad  hat  was  turned  back. 

Finally  he  looked  at  me. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  245 

"  Yer  know,"  he  said  softly,  "as 
Miss  Am'bel  ben  kind  of  er  angel  ter 
me.  Yer  'member  these  yer  trousies," 
glancing  at  his  legs  with  a  touching  ex- 
pression of  pride.  "  Ef  it  had  n't  er  ben 
fur  her  I  never  'd  er  had  trousies.  An* 
thur  's  sumpin  'bout  her  more  Jn  trousies  ; 
kind  of  er  smile ;  sumpin  kind  er  softly, 
yer  know  —  ?  " 

He  hesitated,  and  his  silence  asked  me 
if  I  understood.  Ah,  yes,  I  knew.  I 
nodded  my  head.  He  went  on. 

"I  ben  tryin'  ter  dror  her.  Arfter 
thur  trousies  I  could  n't  seem  ter  dror 
nowthin'  else  fur  er  spell.  "  I  've  gurt 
er  picture  I  '11  show  yer  sometime. 
Yer  see,"  —  with  a  still  gentler  intonation, 
—  "yer  see,  I  lurv  her.  Thur  never 
war  nobody  ben  thataway  ter  me  afore. 
Yesum  ;  I  kep'  er  drorin'  of  her.  But 
I  reckon  no  man,  not  even  him,"  — 


246  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

with  a  look  at  the  hut,  —  could  dror 
Miss  Am'bel's  smile,  an*  that  look  inter 
her  eyes  when  she  's  sorry  fur  a  feller." 

Mr.  Ayer  says  things  seem  to  be  con- 
centrating about  our  mountain.  First 
there  were  twins;  then  there  was  Ole 
Pink's  baby  ;  then  there  was  a  phantom 
portrait ;  now  there  is  a  long-limbed  ar- 
tist laid  up  in  that  hut  in  the  valley. 
And  there  might  have  been  a  redbird. 
And  there  was  Yaller-tail.  Pre-eminent 
just  now  is  the  interest  in  the  stranger, 
whose  name  is  Sartain.  He  had  attempted 
to  run  down  a  steep  incline,  had  caught 
his  foot,  rolled  and  bumped  and  come  off 
with  bruises  and  broken  bones.  Or, 
rather,  he  had  not  come  off  at  all,  but 
had  remained  helpless  and  senseless  on 
the  field,  and  been  found  by  Sally,  who 
was  established  as  nurse  in  the  desolate 
cabin,  with  Ristus  to  help. 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  247 

The  doctor  could  not  yet  tell  how 
badly  the  man  was  hurt.  Meanwhile 
Mr.  Sartain  suffered  so  much  pain  and 
swore  so  much  that  he  was  mercifully 
kept  a  good  deal  under  the  influence  of  an 
opiate. 

"Law  me!*'  said  Sally,  "  dem  ole 
logs  in  dat  cabin  jes  crack  wiv  his  sw'arin'. 
Neber  heard  so  much  sw'arin*  in  er  min- 
ute Js  I  heard  fum  dat  gen* 1* man." 

She  grinned  with  reprehensible  satis- 
faction in  the  profanity. 

She  had  come  up  to  Mrs.  Ayer's  for 
some  articles.  She  had  them  in  a  large 
basket  on  her  head,  and,  as  she  started, 
she  turned  and  looked  at  me  in  a  way 
that  made  me  follow  her.  When  I 
reached  her  side  she  said  in  a  whisper :  — 

"  Dat  Ristus  done  b*  witched  wiv  de 
genTman.  He  jes  under  er  spell.  I 
got  eyes.  I  see  what  Js  under  rny 


248  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

nose."  She  came  yet  nearer.  "  Yo* 
notice  who  Ristus  look  like  ? '  * 

The  start  I  gave  was  so  melodramatic 
that  it  was  quite  satisfactory  to  the  yellow 
woman.  I  recalled  that  I  had  fancied 
there  was  in  Mr.  Sartain's  face  a  resem- 
blance to  something,  I  had  not  known 
what.  Now  I>  knew.  One  face  was 
pallid  and  bore  the  marks  of  dissipation, 
but  in  it  there  was  an  indescribable  look 
like  the  undefiled  face  of  the  boy. 

Sally  repeated  that  she  had  eyes.  She 
said  I  "  orter  see  de  gen'l'man  look,  an' 
look,  at  Ristus,  when  he  wa'n't  asleep 
wiv  de  medicine." 

I  did  not  then  discuss  the  matter  with 
her  or  with  any  one. 

I  had  made  a  great  effect  when  I  had 
disclosed  the  identity  of  the  stump-sketch 
maker. 

"  Now  I  know  why  I  always  wanted 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  249 

to  paint  Ristus  in  the  midst  of  pond- 
lilies,"  cried  Mrs.  Ayer  with  fervor. 
"Ristus!"  she  ejaculated.  "I  ought 
to  have  known  ! ' ' 

The  twins  stood  about  all  over  the 
room  and  kept  discharging  exclamations. 
Ella  asked  unheeded,  "  Do  they  pay 
money  for  sich  ? ' '  and  Ellen  propounded 
the  query,  "  Will  they  try  fur  ter  curt 
off  thur  top  er  thur  stump  ? " 

I  could  hardly  have  created  more  sur- 
prise had  I  announced  that  Buster  had 
made  that  sketch.  Mrs.  Ayer,  after  the 
first  tumult  had  subsided,  kept  saying  :  — 

"Ah,  that  accounts,  that  accounts," 
until  her  husband  finally  turned  to  her 
and  asked  rather  sharply  :  — 

"  Accounts  for  what  ?  " 

"  For  his  face,  you  know,"  replied  the 
lady  in  a  somewhat  rapt  manner.  "  Oh, 
I  could  tell  you,  but  you  ought  to  know. 


250  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

It  is  such  a  satisfaction  to  have  Ristus' s 
face  accounted  for." 

Mr.  Ayer  smiled.  He  said  he  had 
known  very  good  painters  who  never 
could  have  looked  in  the  least  like  Ristus  ; 
whereupon  Mrs.  Ayer  remarked  that  men 
didn't  know  anything  any  way. 

We  all  contributed  that  day  to  the  pur- 
chase of  a  simple  outfit  of  sketching  mate- 
rials for  our  young  artist,  and  Mr.  Ayer 
drove  into  Asheville  to  buy  them. 

After  he  had  gone  Amabel  and  I  went 
down  to  the  hut  where  the  injured  man 
lay.  We  stood  at  the  door,  and,  looking 
in,  saw  Ristus  sitting  by  the  bed  on  a 
stool  which  he  must  have  fashioned  him- 
self. The  always-present  baby  was 
crawling  as  near  the  fire  as  she  dared  to 
go,  and  was  contentedly  sucking  a  frag- 
ment of  bacon-rind.  Sally  was  crouch- 
ing over  something  she  was  cooking  at 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   251 

one  end  of  the  big  hearth.  Buster,  who 
had  recently  elected  to  stay  and  guard  this 
place,  came  forward  to  meet  us,  wagging 
cheerfully.  On  the  bed  a  figure  was 
lying  motionless,  save  for  an  occasional 
weak  and  unconscious  movement  of  one 
hand,  which  lay  outside  the  covering. 

Ristus  looked  up,  nodded,  but  did  not 
rise.  He  seemed  absorbed.  I  thought  of 
Sally's  assertion  that  he  was  under  a  spell. 

At  last  the  yellow  woman  turned  and 
saw  us.  She  was  very  grave.  She  left 
the  cabin  and  walked  with  us  a  few  rods 
in  the  path  which  led  to  Mrs.  Ayer's. 
Suddenly  she  stood  still. 

"  Doctor  jes  gone  when  yo'  ladies 
come,"  she  said.  "He  say  't  ain't  no 
use.  Mr.  Sartain  carn't  lars'  mo'n  er 
day  er  two.  Intunnul  sumpin'  as  is 
wuss  'n  de  broke  bones.  Says  crooil  ter 
try  ter  move  him.  Says  he  carn't  fin'  out 


252  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

nawthin'  ter  de  hotel,  on'y  name, — 
Richard  Sartain.  Carn't  sen'  fur  no 
frien's  ;  dunno  wh'ar  ter  sen',  yo'  see. 
He  look  ter  me  like  er  man  as  live  fur 
hisse'f,  mos'ly.  He  gotter  die  fur  hisse'f 
now.  Dis  mawnin'  he  rouse  urp  er  bit 
an*  I  arst  him  ef  I  should  git  er  minister. 
Then  he  turned  his  eyes  onter  Ristus, 
who  don't  stir  fum  him,  an'  looked  an' 
looked  at  him.  I  never  seen  no  sich  er 
look.  An'  den  he  say  '  Boy,  yo'  jes  stay 
by  me  twell  de  end.'  Den  he  shet  his 
eyes  an*  gwi  ter  sleep  er  'gin.  He  made 
no  arnser  'bout  de  preacher." 

Sally  sat  down  on  a  log.  She  put  her 
hands  over  her  face  and  rocked  herself  to 
and  fro,  the  vivid  sunshine  falling  on  her. 

Soon  she  rose  and  asked  us  if  we 
would  sit  in  the  hut  while  she  went  up 
to  do  a  few  things  for  Jake  in  her  own 
cabin.  We  should  not  be  obliged  to  do 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   253 

anything.  "  The  gen'l'man  he  on'y  jes 
slep',  an'  slep'." 

We  went  back  to  the  hut  while  she 
climbed  the  mountain. 

The  widely-opened  door  let  in  a  broad 
bar  of  sunlight  which  nearly  filled  the 
squalid  place,  and  lay  on  the  head  and 
shoulders  of  the  man  upon  the  bed  on 
the  floor.  His  long  white  hands  were 
still  outside  the  quilt ;  on  one  of  them 
was  a  ring  holding  an  immense  stone  with 
some  character  cut  in  it.  Sometimes,  as 
he  moved  his  hands,  the  gold  would  glint 
with  a  brightness  that  made  one  shrink, 
it  seemed  so  full  of  a  mocking  life. 
There  was  a  bandage  round  the  fore- 
head, but  the  rest  of  the  face  was  visible. 

As  we  sat  there  in  perfect  stillness  my 
eyes  wandered  about  the  room.  It  did 
not  look  like  a  room,  —  more  like  a 
hole. 


254  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

One  of  Mr.  Sartain's  gloves  was  lying 
beside  Buster,  and  he  had  evidently  been 
chewing  it.  Twice  within  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  Buster  had  noiselessly  risen  and 
walked  to  a  covered  saucepan  on  the 
hearth  and  put  his  nose  to  it.  Each  time 
he  had  done  this  Amabel  had  lifted  her 
hand  forbiddingly,  and  the  dog  had  looked 
at  her  with  a  look  which  said  plainly  : 
"You  are  entirely  mistaken  if  you  think 
I  smelled  of  the  saucepan,"  and  had 
returned  and  lain  down  with  an  appear- 
ance of  extreme  rectitude. 

There  was  no  change  for  an  hour  in 
the  attitude  of  Ristus  or  the  sick  man. 
The  sunlight  crept  more  and  more  on  to 
the  pallet  of  straw,  and  warmed  brightly 
the  boy's  yellow  hair,  which  hung,  rough 
and  tangled,  on  his  shoulders.  Outside, 
a  large  gray  squirrel  came  and  sat  on  its 
haunches  on  the  stump  that  was  rotting 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   255 

down  close  to  the  door.  Buster  was 
asleep  and  did  not  see  it. 

After  a  time  the  man  moved  and 
uttered  an  inarticulate  sound.  The  squir- 
rel fled,  making  a  vanishing  gray  streak 
out  of  sight. 

The  dog  opened  his  eyes.  Amabel  and 
I  rose  to  our  feet.  There  seemed  not  to 
be  a  sound  in  the  valley  save  a  soughing 
noise  in  the  tops  of  some  trees  near. 

We  stood  looking  at  that  face  on  the 
pillow.  The  eyes  opened  with  a  quiet 
sane  look  in  them;  a  look  which  made 
me  think  that  Sally  had  been  mistaken 
about  the  hopelessness  of  the  case. 

His  gaze  turned  toward  Ristus,  and  the 
stranger  smiled  very  slightly  under  the 
great  moustache.  The  boy  bent  forward 
with  his  hands  clasped  tightly.  He 
laughed  softly  as  he  said,  just  above  his 
breath :  — 


256   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

"  Yer  be  better,  suh,  shore 's  thur 
world." 

Mr.  Sartain  did  not  reply.  He  con- 
tinued looking  at  the  boy. 

When  he  spoke  it  was  distinctly,  with 
no  feebleness  in  his  tone. 

"Your  mother's  eyes,  boy;  your 
mother's  eyes ;  warm-tinted,  lovely." 

Ristus  nodded,  but  plainly  could  grasp 
no  meaning  in  the  words. 

"Every  dog  has  his  day,  my  lad," 
went  on  Mr.  Sartain.  "  I  had  mine,  but  it 
ended  a  good  while  ago.  She  loved  me  — 
your  mother.  I  loved,  and  I  rode  away  — 
after  a  while. ' '  He  said  this  almost  airily. 

"We  had  a  pleasant  summer  among 
the  mountains.  But  it  soon  passed. 
Everything  passes"  — he  waved  his  hand 
feebly.  "  I  never  knew  what  became  of 
her.  They  said  she  married  a  mountain 
fellow,  and  soon  died.  She  died." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   257 

A  sudden,  strange  look  swept  over  the 
once  handsome  face.  The  man  tried  to 
raise  himself,  and  Ristus  tried  to  help 
him. 

"Did  I  say  she  died?"  cried  the 
voice,  stronger  than  ever.  «'  She 
couldn't  have  died,  when  here  are  her 
eyes  before  me.  I  never  could  paint  her 
eyes.  I  used  to  try.  Something  eluded 
me.  I  can  do  it  now.  I  know  just  the 
colors;  warm,  lovely.  Boy,  I  shall  be 
up  in  a  day  or  two.  I  '11  take  you  with 
me — just  because  of  your  eyes —  yes — 
just  because  of — " 

Lips  and  tongue  hesitated,  and  seemed 
to  grope.  The  head  turned  slightly, 
until  it  rested  partly  on  the  shoulder  of 
Ristus,  and  then  was  quite  still. 

The  great  ring  on  the  motionless  white 
hand  shone  dazzlingly  in  the  sun. 
17 


258  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER   XV 

A  Funeral  as  an  Entertainment 

THE  stranger  was  buried  in  a 
little  graveyard  on  the  side 
of  a  mountain.  The  funeral 
service  was  held  in  Ole  Pink's  cabin, 
where  he  died.  The  hut  was  crowded 
with  men  and  women  from  miles  around, 
and  scores  of  them  stood  in  groups  out- 
side, chewing,  gazing,  talking  in  low 
voices,  their  sallow,  bony  faces  showing 
a  dull,  persistent  interest.  They  rode  on 
strange-looking  steeds,  or,  if  they  could 
not  ride,  they  walked.  Distance  could 
not  keep  them  away,  they  were  bound 
to  come.  I  lingered  for  some  moments 
beside  two  women  who  wore  sunbonnets 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  259 

and  men's  coats.  I  heard  one  say  to  the 
other  : 

"  Ef  Ole  Pink  had  er  ben  hyar  she  'd 
er  sont  word  as  he  war  er  dyin'.  She 
knows  what 's  right  in  sick  times.  I 
hearn  nobuddy  knew  er  death  war  ex- 
pected. It's  er  gret  loss  to  we-uns  er 
not  knowin'.  Thur  ain't  many  died  'thin 
twenty  mile  er  Busbee  that  I  ain't  seen 
die ;  no,  not  in  more  'n  fifteen  year. 
Yas,  Ole  Pink  'd  er  let  we-uns  know,  she 
would.  But  that  yaller  'oman  an*  them 
Yanks  from  Ayer's  —  yer  carn't  expect 
nawthin'  er  them.  When  yer  ain't  missed 
er  death  'thin  more  'n  fifteen  year,  it 's 
urpsettin'  ter  yer  feelin's  ter  miss  one  's 
nigh  's  this  's  ben." 

The  other  woman  said  whiningly  that 
she  could  feel  for  the  speaker.  Though 
her  own  health  hadn't  been  so  that  she 
could  "foller  urp  thur  deaths,"  as  her 


260  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

friend  had  done,  still  she  had  "  follered 
um  urp"  all  the  Lord  had  been  willing 
for  her  to  do.  She  "reckoned  thur 
Lord's  hand  war  in  hit,  er  keepin'  er  poor 
'oman  on  er  bed  er  sickness,  so  's  folks 
died  an'  was  buried,  an*  she  not  able  to 
stir  from  her  bed.  She  hoped  she  be- 
lieved it  was  er  dispensation,  jes',  the 
preacher  said.  But  dispensations  war 
sometimes  mighty  hard  to  bear,  an*  she  'd 
had  er  heap  er  dispensations  in  her 
life." 

Both  women  wagged  their  sunbonnets 
a  good  deal  as  they  talked. 

I  learned  that  there  was  a  general  sense 
among  the  people  of  having  been  de- 
frauded in  that  they  had  not  been  notified 
that  a  death  was  likely  to  occur  in  that 
miserable  hut  in  the  valley.  Had  they 
known,  they  would  have  flocked  thither 
and  waited,  with  a  ghastly  eagerness  and 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    261 

interest  impossible  to  understand.  Sally 
knew  their  customs  and  had  purposely 
been  very  reticent.  She  said  she  wa'n't 
er  gwine  ter  have  no  crowdin'  ob  pore 
whites  roun'  dat  cabin ;  so  she  kep*  things 
close' t. 

But  they  all  came  to  the  funeral,  even 
to  Mrs.  Case,  on  Yaller-tail,  having  one 
child  before  her  on  the  saddle  and  one 
behind.  The  children  should  be  present 
at  such  an  entertainment.  They  all  strag- 
gled along  behind  the  body  as  it  was 
borne  to  its  wind-swept,  lonely  resting 
place.  From  that  grave  could  be  seen 
those  purple  tints  on  Pisgah ;  but  he  who 
lay  there  could  not  see  them. 

Mrs.  Ayer  had  decided  that  the  twins 
could  not  go,  but  when  they  were  told  of 
this  decision  they  burst  into  such  heart- 
rending cries  of  despair  that  Mrs.  Ayer 
relented.  They  writhed  as  they  sobbed 


262    IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

out  that  they  "  had  never  ben  to  no 
Yank's  funeral."  They  appeared  to 
think  that  a  Yank's  funeral  would  contain 
elements  of  interest  beyond  anything  they 
had  ever  enjoyed. 

They  were  washed  and  combed  and 
put  into  red  "  tires  "  and  white  sunbon- 
nets.  When  thus  arrayed  the  demureness 
and  the  respectability  of  their  appearance 
were  so  great  that  I  almost  felt  as  if  my  own 
manner  must  show  an  unbecoming  levity. 
Their  eyes  were  more  round  and  unwink- 
ing than  ever,  and  their  little  forms  ap- 
peared to  stiffen  the  moment  they  were 
in  their  red  tires. 

The  intention  had  been  that  all  the 
dogs  should  be  imprisoned  in  the  kitchen 
during  the  time  of  the  funeral,  but  when 
the  moment  came  for  their  incarceration 
only  Little  Bull  and  Petite  were  found  to 
be  present.  Calling  for  the  others  did 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   263 

not  bring  them.  I  have  yet  to  know  the 
dog  who  will  be  found  when  he  has  made 
up  his  mind  otherwise. 

When  we  came  within  sight  of  our 
destination  we  saw,  among  the  crowd, 
Tip  and  Buster  standing  with  praise- 
worthy decorousness  close  to  Ristus,  who 
was  near  that  figure  which  lay  in  the 
simple  coffin  on  the  rude  trestles.  The 
two  dogs  did  not  leave  the  boy's  side. 
Sometimes  he  would  stroke  their  sleek 
heads. 

There  could  not  be  any  "  mourners  " 
in  the  conventional  sense  of  the  term. 
Some  excitable  negroes  hung  about  during 
the  brief  ceremonies  and  sobbed  and 
groaned.  Theirs  were  the  only  tears 
shed. 

At  first  we  watched  Ristus  with  deep 
interest.  We  saw  him  with  that  child- 
like serenity  upon  him  which  was 


264  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

peculiarly  his  own.  He  was  very  sober 
and  greatly  impressed,  but  why  should  he 
feel  any  especial  grief?  If  he  had  been 
"under  a  spell,"  as  Sally  had  declared, 
that  spell  was  broken.  Still  there  was 
something  different  in  his  aspect ;  he 
looked  older. 

The  yellow  woman  had  undertaken  the 
care  of  the  baby,  and  there  were  only  the 
dogs  near  Ristus. 

Thus  far  it  has  been  without  the  least 
success  that  Mr.  Ayer  has  made  inquiries 
in  Asheville  concerning  Mr.  Sartain. 
He  was  simply  one  of  the  many  strangers 
who  came  there.  He  stayed  at  the  Swan- 
annoa  Hotel,  and  registered  as  from  New 
York.  Plainly  he  can  be  no  famous 
artist,  although  among  his  few  effects  the 
pencil  and  water-color  sketches  are  of 
great  merit,  and  possess  in  an  uncommon 
degree  what  is  called  "feeling." 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   265 

It  is  the  strong  desire  of  the  women 
here  that  Ristus  shall  come  into  immediate 
possession  of  all  that  was  the  stranger's 
—  we  say  it  is  justice  that  the  boy  should 
have  the  clothes,  the  pictures,  the  ring, 
the  watch,  and  the  $200  in  money. 

Mr.  Ayer  says  that  a  woman's  idea  of 
justice,  if  carried  out,  would  ruin  a  coun- 
try in  twelve  months.  He  is  going  to 
make  still  more  investigation.  He  asks 
by  what  right  we  should  give  Mr.  Sartain's 
effects  to  Ristus.  It  is  astonishing  how 
cruel  men  can  be. 

Mr.  Ayer  furthermore  expresses  his 
belief  that  the  notion  that  Ristus  is  Mr. 
Sartain's  son  is  all  bosh.  No  doubt  the 
man  had  not  been  all  he  ought  to  have 
been  ;  no  doubt  Ristus  had  eyes  that  re- 
minded Sartain,  in  his  last  delirium,  when 
his  brain  was  fogged  with  opiates,  of  the 
eyes  of  some  woman.  Almost  any  man 


266  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

might  remember  some  woman's  eyes  in 
that  way  —  here  an  exclamation  from 
Mrs.  Ayer  —  but  as  for  such  fancies  being 
proof  of  anything,  he  had  never  heard  a 
statement  more  absurd. 

And  the  resemblance  that  we  were  all 
making  so  much  of?  He  did  not  see  the 
slightest  resemblance. 

If  I  were  writing  a  romance  now,  I 
should  ordain  that  Ristus  be  immediately 
proved,  by  convenient  papers  found  in 
Sartain's  luggage,  and  by  equally  con- 
venient birthmarks  upon  the  lad,  the 
legitimate  son  of  the  artist.  Moreover, 
the  artist  should  have  been  fabulously 
wealthy  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Then 
behold  Ristus  launched  upon  a  tide  of 
golden  prosperity.  In  truth,  however,  I 
must  write  that  Ristus  appears  to  be  as  far 
from  golden  prosperity  as  ever.  But  he 
is  touchingly  happy  with  his  pencils  and 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   267 

colors.  Is  it  not  with  pencils  and  colors 
that  he  will  find  his  greatest  happiness  ? 
If  he  only  does  not  take  an  unfortunate 
fancy  in  the  future  to  some  pretty  but 
soulless  mountain  girl  !  We  women  talk 
over  such  a  possibility  and  shudder  at  it. 
It  was  yesterday  that  we  were  discussing 
this,  and  Amabel,  after  a  long  silence,  an- 
nounced that  she  had  almost  resolved  to 
take  Ristus  north  with  her  when  we 
return.  She  looked  at  me  as  she  said  : 

"  He  can  do  '  chores  '  in  our  old  farm- 
house ;  he  can  go  to  school ;  and  we 
shall  not  be  cruel  to  him.  He  will  have 
a  chance  to  grow  mentally  as  well  as 
bodily."  Then  she  laughed  and  added 
that  the  worst  of  that  would  be  that  his 
beautiful  long  hair  would  have  to  be 
clipped  close,  and  how  would  the  boy 
look  with  his  hair  "filed,"  for  instance. 
He  would  only  have  his  eyes  left. 


268   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Having  spoken  thus,  Amabel  again 
fell  into  silence,  and  did  not  apparently 
hear  Mrs.  Ayer  say  that  the  worst  of 
that  was  not  the  boy's  hair,  but  Ole  Pink's 
baby. 

It  was  at  this  stage  of  the  conversation 
that  a  series  of  whoops  and  screams  began 
outside  and  were  kept  up  until  the  twins 
ran  over  each  other  into  the  room.  Their 
stiffness  had  entirely  disappeared  with  the 
removal  of  their  red  tires. 

Being  children,  and  not  entirely  versed 
in  self-restraint,  there  were  rare  moments 
when  one  might  see  their  faces  without 
the  mask  of  respectfulness  and  demureness 
which  fitted  so  well.  This  was  one  of 
those  moments.  Now,  with  no  veil  to 
hide  it,  was  visible  what  I  can  only  call 
an  expression  as  of  a  dreadful  inherited 
taint,  a  something  vile  that  had  come 
down  from  a  long  line  of  ancestors,  even 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  269 

as  an  aristocratic  hand  or  curl  of  the  upper 
lip  may  be  inherited.  It  was  a  heart- 
sickening  thing  to  see  on  these  small  faces  ; 
it  was  gone  immediately,  leaving  them 
with  that  curious  kind  of  opaqueness 
which  is  so  puzzling.  They  now  stood 
staring,  but  eager.  Their  thick,  dull, 
light-brown  hair  had  been  carefully  cut  in 
bangs  by  Mrs.  Ayer.  She  said  she  could 
thus  far  make  them  look  like  Christian 
children.  She  could  give  them  bangs. 
The  effect  had  been  striking.  It  had 
appeared  to  change  the  children  into  a 
kind  of  hybrids.  They  were  quite  proud 
of  their  bangs.  Since  having  them  they 
had  been  heard  to  express  unmitigated 
contempt  toward  some  girls  down  in  some 
gully  whose  hair  had  never  been  banged, 
and  who  had,  until  educated  by  Ella  and 
Ellen,  been  in  gross  ignorance  as  to  what 
the  word  "  bang  "  meant  when  applied  to 


270   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

human  hair.  The  bangs  with  which  they 
were  profusely  acquainted  were  of  a 
different  kind.  Ellen  once  related  to  me, 
in  that  quick,  breathless  way  in  which 
they  both  talked,  the  particulars  of  the 
blackness  of  the  ignorance  of  "them  gully 
gals*'  regarding  this  fashion  of  the  nine- 
teenth century. 

It  was  a  strange  fact  that  this  trick  of 
cutting  the  hair  was  the  only  knowledge 
that  struck  the  children  as  worth  acquir- 
ing ;  the  only  advantage  there  was  to  be 
gained  in  living  with  Mrs.  Ayer  instead 
of  in  different  hovels,  drudging  for  this  one 
and  that.  It  was  such  a  life  from  which 
they  had  been  taken. 

Being  asked  what  they  had  to  tell,  they 
began  breathing  fast,  and  talking  and  stut- 
tering in  their  haste.  We  made  out  that 
Mr.  Ayer  had  sent  them.  We  heard  the 
words  "  Ole  Pink's  baby  "  and  "  oats  " 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  271 

and    "panthers"    and    "he    said     there 
wa'n't  no  danger." 

The  excitement  under  which  they  were 
struggling  had  now  communicated  itself 
to  us.  We  rose  when  we  heard  the  word 
"  panthers."  We  did  not  have  panthers 
in  New  England.  What  we  were  after 
was  everything  that  was  different  from 
what  we  had  in  New  England.  So  far 
we  had  had  great  success  in  this  quest. 

It  was  finally  gleaned  that  Mr.  Ayer 
was  going  "  over  yan  "  in  the  big  wagon. 
He  was  going  to  get  some  bundles  of  oats. 
He  was  going  to  take  Ole  Pink's  baby 
and  leave  it  with  its  mother,  who,  it  was 
said,  was  now  living  "over  yan"  with 
"Red  Tim."  Mr.  Ayer  had  made  a 
rapid  decision  as  soon  as  he  heard  that 
Ole  Pink  was  within  a  day's  journey. 
He  was  now  about  to  act  upon  that 
decision  with  his  habitual  promptness. 


272   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

He  said  that  Ristus  should  not  be  burdened 
in  that  way. 

We  could  all  go.  The  children  were 
going.  Ristus  was  going.  The  dogs 
were  going,  with  the  exception  of  Petite, 
who  never  left  her  mistress  for  more  than 
half-an-hour,  and  Mrs.  Ayer  and  Sally 
were  to  stay  at  home. 

We  made  a  "soon  start."  While 
Jake  was  putting  the  "gears"  on  the 
two  horses,  Sally  lifted  chairs  into  the 
cart,  for  it  was  upon  chairs  we  were 
to  sit. 

Chairs  are  very  comfortable  in  a  house 
or  upon  any  motionless  surface.  I  would 
not  wish  to  dispense  with  chairs.  But 
when  they  are  standing  in  a  North  Caro- 
lina cart  and  the  cart  is  moving  over 
North  Carolina  mountain  roads,  and  we 
are  on  the  chairs,  the  motion  is  one 
which  calls  for  great  powers  of  expres- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   273 

sion  in  the  author  who  essays  to  write  a 
descriptive  article. 

I  must  say  that  those  who  have  sat 
upon  chairs  only  upon  lawns  or  floors 
have  not  the  least  idea  of  what  those 
articles  are  capable  when  they  are  put  in 
the  way  of  temptation.  They  look  inno- 
cent. They  looked  innocent  even  after 
Sally  had  set  them  up  in  the  cart. 
There  were  two  of  them  behind  the 
narrow  board  laid  across  the  front.  On 
this  board  Mr.  Ayer  and  Ristus,  with  the 
baby,  were  to  ride.  Amabel  and  I  were 
to  have  the  chairs.  The  twins  were  to 
sit  in  the  bottom  of  the  cart  wherever 
they  chose.  The  dogs  were  to  run  and 
disport  themselves.  Happy  dogs  ! 

After  I  had  taken  my  place,  with  the 

utmost    difficulty,   climbing   in    over   the 

high    sides,    Buster    came    and   put    his 

front   paws    on  the    hub  of  the  wheel, 

18 


274   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

wagging  his  tail,  while  he  had  an  anx- 
ious look  on  his  face.  I  have  since 
thought  that  he  was  trying  to  express 
his  sympathy  in  view  of  what  was  before 
us.  He  had  lived  longer  in  North  Caro- 
lina than  had  we,  and  he  had  observed. 

While  Mr.  Ayer  and  Jake  were  fasten- 
ing the  last  buckles  of  the  gears,  Mrs. 
Ayer  came  out  of  the  cabin  bearing  two 
cushions  which  she  had  taken  from  two 
rockers. 

We  disclaimed  any  such  effeminacy, 
but  she  insisted.  She  said  that  if  we 
would  use  them  skillfully  as  fenders  be- 
tween us  and  the  chairs  they  might  be 
the  means  of  saving  our  lives.  She  also 
told  us  that  chairs  in  carts  were  the  worst 
demons  she  had  ever  known.  Cushions 
might  not  do  much,  but  then  they  might 
do  a  great  deal  ;  just  as  the  pictures  of 
soldiers'  sweethearts  worn  by  the  soldiers 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  275 

sometimes  prevented  bullets  from  reaching 
brave  hearts. 

Amabel  protested  that  only  in  the  light 
of  a  substitute  for  the  portrait  of  a  lover 
would  she  consent  to  take  her  cushion, 
but  I  received  mine  as  just  simply  a 
cushion. 

Then  Mrs.  Ayer  mounted  on  a  wheel 
and  kissed  us  both.  She  bade  us  fare- 
well. She  informed  us  that  she  hoped  to 
see  us  again,  but  she  hardly  expected  a 
reunion.  Amabel  said  that  we  would 
return  with  our  cushions  or  on  them. 

Mr.  Ayer  took  the  reins  and  the  whip, 
looked  over  his  shoulder,  and  suggested 
that  if  we  were  quite  through  with  our 
parting  we  would  start. 

As  he  spoke,  the  twins  came  in  at  the 
side  of  the  wagon  precisely  as  cats  would 
have  done.  We  started. 


276  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

CHAPTER   XVI 

The  End  of  the  Story 

IT  is  now  nearly  a  week  since  peace 
unutterable  has  descended  upon  this 
house.  In  other  words,  it  is  nearly 
a  week  since  the  twins  ran  away.  Yes, 
they  have  gone.  I  must  say  that  they 
greatly  interested  me.  They  also  appeared 
to  offer  me  a  respect  more  profound  than 
any  ever  before  laid  upon  my  shrine. 
Still  it  is  blessed  to  have  them  away  and 
to  have  at  the  same  time  the  consciousness 
that  we  did  all  we  could  for  them.  As 
I  look  out  of  doors  from  this  quiet  cabin, 
I  do  not  see  them  running  up  to  the  barn 
as  if  they  would  hit  the  side  of  that  build- 
ing, and  would  then  begin  to  ricochet 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   277 

indefinitely.  Yes,  we  have  nothing  to 
regret  and  much  for  which  to  be  thank- 
ful, so  far  as  our  own  selves  are  con- 
cerned. It  is  only  that  we  regret  for 
their  sakes.  We  all  tried  by  precept,  — 
and  it  is  to  be  hoped  by  example  also,  — 
to  civilize  them.  But  they  would  not  be 
civilized.  They  accepted  banged  hair,  it 
is  true,  which  is  one  of  the  outward  signs 
of  enlightenment.  They  received  a  kind 
of  veneer,  also,  which  enabled  them  to 
practise  great  deception.  They  have 
now  taken  themselves  away.  They 
have  also  taken  other  things  more  valua- 
ble to  us  than  their  presence,  viz. :  a 
little  ring  with  a  white  topaz  set  in  it, 
which  was  dear  to  me  for  the  sake  of  a 
sister  who  used  to  wear  it  when  a  child. 
An  extremely  ornate  old  cameo  pin  be- 
longing to  Mrs.  Ayer.  A  few  handker- 
chiefs. About  three  pints  of  shells  culled 


278   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

from  the  long  beach  at  Fernandina. 
Strange  to  say,  they  also  took  a  back- 
gammon board,  but  carefully  left  the  dice 
and  the  men.  They  also  selected  all  the 
pieces  from  a  set  of  chess  save  the  pawns. 
They  probably  had  a  natural  instinct 
which  despised  pawns.  They  must  have 
been  preparing  for  some  time.  It  is  not 
probable  that  we  yet  know  all  they  have 
carried  away.  In  the  future  we  shall 
occasionally  miss  something  and  then  we 
shall  say  that  "the  twins  took  it,"  and 
may  thereby  do  them  great  injustice. 

Among  their  preparations  for  departure 
was  a  behavior  well-nigh  irreproachable, 
with  the  exception  of  the  noise  and  con- 
fusion which  were  inseparable  from  their 
being.  Of  late  they  have  entirely  given 
up  rising  in  the  evening  and  toting  wood 
in  their  night-gowns  ;  they  have  remem- 
bered to  tote  it  before  it  was  time  to 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   279 

assume  night-gowns.  They  have  not 
broken  nearly  as  much  crockery,  possibly 
because  the  remnant  of  crockery  is  small. 
They  have  not  talked  in  their  sleep. 
They  have  not  forgotten  their  "larnin* 
book"  and  the  duties  it  entails.  It  has 
been  Amabel*  s  custom  to  hear  these  reci- 
tations from  the  "  larnin'  book."  Such 
recitations  were  never  illuminated  by  any 
flashes  of  embryo  intellect.  Sometimes 
Amabel  used  to  ask  them  to  describe  cer- 
tain familiar  things.  Their  descriptions 
had  an  unexpectedness  unprecedented  in 
my  experience.  For  instance,  Ella  said 
that  a  lamp  chimney  was  something  "  all 
niggled  at  the  top," — the  "niggled" 
referring  to  the  scollops  which  adorned 
those  articles  here.  Ellen  described  chin- 
copins  as  a  nut  that  was  "  rounded  at  one 
eend  an'  sorter  pinted  offter  the  t'other." 
As  I  am  not  even  now  acquainted  with 


280   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

chincopins  I  cannot  say  if  this  was  cor- 
rect. They  both  professed  to  know 
where  "chincopins  were  at,*'  — in  other 
words,  where  they  grew.  They  could 
always  tell  when  water  boiled,  because 
"  it  kept  jumpin'  urp  an*  down."  They 
saw  a  bicycle  in  one  of  their  visits  to 
Asheville,  and  Mrs.  Ayer  told  them 
what  it  was.  The  vehicle  greatly  im- 
pressed them,  but  they  invariably,  in 
speaking  of  it,  called  it  a  "scyamore." 
They  have  gone.  I  will  not  try  to 
recite  a  list  of  the  negative  virtues  they 
cultivated  a  week  or  two  prior  to  their 
departure.  Was  this  goodness  part  of  a 
plan  to  make  us  less  suspicious  ?  But  we 
had  never  been  suspicious.  True,  Mrs. 
Case  said  long  ago  that  "  them  twins  war 
er  plannin*  ter  run  erway,"  and  Sally 
has  always  averred  that  the  children  were 
"double-faced,  pore  white  trash,  an' 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  281 

chokin*  full  er  desate."  Now  they 
are  gone  it  transpires  that  there  is  no 
one  within  a  dozen  miles  who  could  not 
have  told  us  they  were  going.  At  least, 
so  they  say. 

On  the  day  they  left,  they  were  seen  by 
Mrs.  Case  on  the  State  Road.  She  was 
washing  at  the  stream  that  crosses  the 
road  near  her  house.  She  informs  us  that 
each  child  had  an  old  flour  sack  stuffed 
full  of  things.  Some  of  these  spoils  of 
their  recent  life  must  have  been  their  own 
clothes,  for  Mrs.  Ayer  has  dressed  them 
comfortably.  Mrs.  Case  furthermore  tells 
us  in  a  manner  meant  to  be  commiserating, 
but  really  exultant,  that  the  children  told 
her  they  were  running  away  because  they 
did  n't  have  enough  to  eat ;  also  they 
were  made  to  sleep  with  dogs.  This  last 
assertion  probably  arises  from  the  fact  that, 
after  much  pleading  on  their  part,  Mrs. 


282  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

Ayer  permitted  them  to  have  Buster  and 
Tip  on  their  lounge.  We  have  not  yet 
heard  of  any  other  grievances  which  acted 
as  incentives  to  their  flight.  We  are  of 
the  opinion  that  they  have  always  meant 
to  go,  but  that  the  immediate  cause  was 
their  mother.  For  they  have  a  mother 
who  lives  here  and  there  in  different 
mountain  hovels  with  different  men,  as 
does  Ole  Pink.  It  is  currently  reported 
that  this  woman  has  recently  affirmed  that 
the  "little  gals  wa'n't  gittin*  'nough 
outer  them  Yanks. "  This  remark  sounds 
as  if  the  fond  parent  were  not  thoroughly 
satisfied. 

Unfortunately  for  the  twins,  they  met 
their  mother  in  that  hut  where  Mr.  Ayer 
drove  us  when  we  went  in  the  cart  to 
leave  Ole  Pink's  baby  with  its  natural 
guardian.  That  journey  was  a  memor- 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY    283 

able  one,  both  as  regards  our  corporeal 
and  spiritual  bodies.  Our  bones  will 
long  remember  it.  Even  longer  will  our 
minds  hold  the  pictures,  magnificent  and 
indescribable,  which  the  mountains  and 
valleys  presented  to  us  with  almost  every 
rod  of  the  atrocious  roads. 

There  were  moments  when  the  chairs 
on  which  we  sat  in  the  cart  were  less 
fiendish  in  their  movements  than  was 
their  regular  habit.  It  was  in  such 
moments  of  respite  that  we  looked  at  the 
views.  Always  take  a  cushion  or,  at 
least,  a  folded  shawl  to  serve  as  a  cushion 
when  you  intend  to  occupy  a  chair  in  a 
cart  in  this  portion  of  this  State.  As  Mrs. 
Ayer  had  said,  this  precaution  may  save 
your  life.  If  we  had  had  a  hundred  lives 
on  this  trip  they  would  all  have  been  sacri- 
ficed had  we  not  had  those  cushions.  We 
used  them  as  fenders,  shields,  bucklers. 


284  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

We  wished  they  had  been  as  large  as  the 
bucklers  of  old.  When  they  were  not 
absolutely  pressed  down  between  us  and 
destruction,  we  held  them  poised  ready 
for  instant  action  in  the  right  spot.  If 
my  chair  showed  signs  of  rushing  down  to 
the  end  of  the  wagon  I  faced  round  that 
way  with  my  defensive  weapon  and,  at 
the  instant  before  collision,  if  I  were  suc- 
cessful, the  cushion  received  the  first 
strength  of  the  blow  which  the  chair  had 
intended  should  be  spent  upon  my  knees. 
Naturally  a  good  many  times  we  were  not 
successful,  especially  at  first.  By  the 
time  we  had  gone  the  ten  miles  our  skill  in 
this  kind  of  fencing  had  greatly  increased. 
It  was  hard,  however,  when  the  chairs 
decided  to  rush  full  tilt  at  each  other.  On 
such  occasions  one  came  up  the  slope  of 
the  wagon,  which  seemed  miraculous, 
while  the  other  performed  the  natural 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  285 

action  of  sliding  down.  They  would 
meet  like  two  war-horses  on  the  field  of 
battle  and  would  crush  hands  or  legs  be- 
tween them.  While  we  were  crying  out 
with  the  pain  the  chairs  would  cavort 
back  again  in  unmistakable  glee.  The 
twins  were  sitting  here  and  there  on  the 
cart  bottom,  and  sometimes  they  were 
mowed  down  relentlessly  by  our  engines 
of  destruction.  Once  my  chair,  with  me 
on  it,  advanced  with  the  rapidity  of  a 
cannon  ball  straight  upon  Ellen.  I  had 
the  cushion  ready  ;  I  shrieked  out  a  warn- 
ing. All  in  vain.  The  cushion  flew 
out  into  the  mud,  Ellen  was  cut  down, 
and  I  was  flung  forward  on  to  Ristus, 
who  was  sitting  upon  the  front  seat  hold- 
ing the  baby.  I  never  knew  why  we 
were  not  all  killed.  In  the  midst  of  the 
piercing  cries  of  the  baby  and  Ellen,  Mr. 
Ayer  put  on  the  brakes,  for  we  were 


286  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

going  down  hill,  and  stopped  the  horses. 
Ella  hopped  from  the  top  of  the  wagon 
side  into  the  road  and  went  back  for  my 
cushion. 

To  Mr.  Ayer's  questions  Amabel 
answered  that  we  were  still  alive  and  still 
able  to  suffer.  She  did  not  know  how 
long  it  would  take  two  chairs  to  kill  two 
women,  but  she  thought  not  much  longer. 
She  was  sure  that  Victor  Hugo,  when  he 
had  described  the  prowess  of  a  cannon  loose 
on  a  ship's  deck,  had  never  known  what 
a  chair  loose  in  a  cart  could  do.  They 
were  often  balancing  on  two  hind  legs  and 
satanically  threatened  to  expel  us  over 
their  backs.  This  was  the  worst  thing 
they  did,  except  when  they  gyrated  on 
one  leg.  At  such  times  we  could  only 
hold  our  breath  and  wish  we  had  never 
come  to  North  Carolina.  Occasionally 
they  would,  for  a  half-mile  or  so,  seem  so 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  287 

inoffensive  and  innocent,  would  stay  so 
calmly  down  on  their  four  legs,  that  we 
would  gaze  about  us  in  an  ecstasy  of 
admiration  of  the  near  and  far  peaks,  the 
slopes,  the  valleys,  the  gorges  through 
which,  mayhap,  ran  furious  branches.  I 
will  be  just,  and  record  that  many  times 
those  chairs  behaved  in  such  a  soft,  sweet 
manner  that  lambs  would  have  seemed 
savage  beside  them.  While  we  were  yet 
absorbing  with  our  eyes  some  lovely  scene, 
Mr.  Ayer  would  shout,  "Take  care 
now ! "  and  bang,  slide,  bump,  crack, 
charge,  and  retreat,  would  go  the  chairs 
and  we  with  them,  while  we  frantically 
tried  to  defend  ourselves.  Once  at  a 
particularly  bad  piece  of  road  Amabel  and 
I  performed  the  gymnastic  feat  of  getting 
out  of  the  wagon  that  we  might  walk. 
Have  I  said  that  these  wagons  are  built 
with  two  objects  in  view  ?  First,  that  no 


288   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

woman,  or  other  being  in  petticoats,  shall 
get  into  them  ;  second,  that  no  such  being, 
having  entered,  shall  get  out.  And  the 
vehicles  fully  accomplish  the  destiny  for 
which  they  were  manufactured.  As  we 
walked  along  behind,  we  saw  the  twins 
essay  to  occupy  our  vacant  seats,  and  we 
saw  each  chair  rear  and  fling  out  a  twin 
as  if  each  seat  had  been  a  catapult  and 
each  twin  its  corresponding  projectile. 
The  children  appeared  to  be  in  the  air 
a  long  time,  but  they  alighted  on  the 
tailboard,  and  clung  there  until  they  had 
recovered  breath  and  strength  to  climb 
in  again. 

It  was  in  the  very  midst  of  the  wildest 
dell  we  had  ever  traversed  that,  across  a 
sharp  opening,  in  the  bottom  of  which 
foamed  a  stream,  we  saw  smoke  coming 
from  a  big  chimney  that  was  attached  to 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  289 

a  cabin  scarcely  as  large.  The  cabin 
stood  on  a  steep  incline.  It  looked  as  if 
a  great  hand  had  flung  it  up  and  it  had 
happened  to  stick  right  there  in  the  side 
of  an  immense  mountain. 

While  we  looked,  a  woman  came  out 
of  the  woods  close  to  our  cart.  She  had 
a  gun  on  her  shoulder  ;  a  couple  of  rab- 
bits, held  by  their  hind  feet,  dangled  from 
one  hand. 

As  we  gazed  at  her  the  twins  sprang  up 
in  utmost  excitement.  They  cried  :  — 

"Oh,  Mr.  Ayer,  there's  Mo! 
There's  Mo!" 

Before  Mr.  Ayer  could  pull  up  the 
horses  the  children  were  out  of  the 
wagon  and  rushing  violently  at  the  per- 
son they  had  called  "Mo,"  and  who 
was  their  mother. 

There  was  a  pell-mell  kind  of  a  greet- 
ing between  the  three.  The  woman 
19  , 


290   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

turned  a  sunken,  large-eyed  face  toward 
us  and  told  Mr.  Ayer  that  if  he  "war 
gwine  over  yon  ter  Ole  Pink's  she  reck- 
oned the  young  uns  might  walk  there 
with  her." 

So  we  went  on,  while  the  woman  and 
her  daughters  soon  struck  into  the  woods 
toward  the  cabin.  It  was  during  that 
walk  that  we  think  the  particulars  of  the 
flight  of  the  twins  were  arranged. 

For  the  last  hour  we  had  noticed,  as 
well  as  we  could  notice  anything  under 
the  circumstances,  that  Ristus  had  been 
growing  more  and  more  sober,  and  had 
held  the  baby  more  and  more  close. 
Once  he  turned  to  Mr.  Ayer  and  asked  if 
"  thur  waVt  no  way  fur  him  ter  keep  thur 
babby  ? "  The  gentleman  shook  his  head. 

Just  as  we  were  driving  up  to  the  cabin 
Ristus  suddenly  gave  the  little  cadaverous 
thing  a  convulsive  hug,  rose  in  his  place, 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY   291 

and  handed  the  child  to  Amabel,  saying 
huskily  :  — 

"  I  carn't  stay  fur  ter  see  it  done." 

He  leaped  from  the  wagon  and  hurried 
into  the  woods.  No  one  said  anything. 

The  next  moment  Mr.  Ayer  had  flung 
the  lines  on  to  the  horses'  backs  and 
stepped  to  the  ground.  As  he  did  so,  a 
long,  red-bearded  fellow  appeared  in  the 
open  door  with  a  pipe  clinched  firmly 
between  his  teeth.  He  stared  so  hard  he 
could  not  even  say  "  Howdy." 

When  Mr.  Ayer  took  the  baby  from 
Amabel' s  arms,  he  said  in  a  low  voice  that 
he  should  make  "short  work  of  this  job." 

Before  he  reached  the  door  we  saw  in 
the  dark  background,  behind  the  man,  the 
face  of  Ole  Pink  peering  forth. 

Mr.  Ayer  had  hardly  entered  before  he 
came  forth  empty-armed.  His  face  was 
hard  and  savage.  He  sprang  in  and 


292   IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

gave  a  vicious  lash  to  the  horses,  who 
started  on  sharply.  We  heard  high 
tones  in  the  cabin.  We  looked  back 
and  saw  Ole  Pink  rush  out,  the  baby 
in  one  arm,  while  she  shook  the  other 
hand  at  us,  calling  out  something  furiously. 
But  our  steeds  were  galloping  away.  She 
could  not  overtake  us. 

It  was  Mr.  Ayer  who  spoke  first,  and 
in  a  deeply-moved  voice  :  — 

"  God  knows  it 's  a  hard  look-out  for 
the  child.  But  what  could  we  do  ?  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  that  Ristus  should 
not  bear  that  burden.  I  had  to  be  almost 
harsh  with  him,  too.  He  would  take 
care  of  every  helpless  thing  in  the  world 
if  he  could. "  

It  was  a  solemn  drive  home.  Not 
half-a-dozen  words  were  said  all  the  time. 
At  every  curve  in  the  way,  at  every 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  293 

opening  in  the  woods,  I  looked  to  see 
Ristus.  But  the  boy  did  not  appear. 
We  tried  not  to  feel  anxious.  We  took 
up  the  twins  about  three  miles  from  Ole 
Pink's.  They  were  in  the  most  riotous 
of  spirits.  Buster  was  missing,  having 
gone  with  Ristus.  Late  in  the  evening, 
when  we  had  ceased  expecting,  some- 
thing scratched  and  whined  at  the  door, 
which,  being  opened,  admitted  Buster. 
The  dog  turned  and  waited,  whining  a 
little.  Presently  Ristus,  damp  with  the 
night  fog,  came  into  the  rays  from  the 
fire.  He  took  off  his  hat  as  he  said  that 
somehow  he  hadn't  the  heart  "  ter  stay 
down  ter  the  ole  hut  'thout  thur  babby." 
He  said  he  "  war  that  lonesome  he  felt 
like  choking." 

He  was  quickly  drawn  into  the  room, 
fed  and  warmed.  He  lay  down  before 
the  hearth  with  Buster  beside  him. 


294  IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY 

It  was  only  yesterday  that  Amabel  first 
spoke  to  the  boy  about  going  back  to  the 
North  with  us  when  we  go.  His  face 
flushed  all  red  and  then  went  pale  in  the 
way  it  has,  while  his  eyes  melted. 

"  You  should  have  time  to  draw,  and 
some  one  to  teach  you,"  she  said.  "  But 
you  would  be  willing  to  work  some  for 
us,  because,  you  see,  we  are  not  rich." 

He  looked  at  her, 

"Work  for  you!"  he  cried.  He 
could  not  say  another  word  ;  his  glowing 
face  was  too  tremulous.  But  no  other 
word  was  needed. 

Last  night  he  was  standing  by  the  barn 
when  I  came  upon  him.  The  sun  had 
set.  Behind  and  above  the  Twin  Broth- 
ers and  all  those  peaks  the  sky  was  paling 
from  its  glory,  while  over  in  the  east  the 
deep  amethyst  was  still  upon  Busbee  and 
its  greater  kin.  He  was  gazing  adoringly . 


IN  BUNCOMBE  COUNTY  295 

At  last  he  turned  to  where  I  stood,  also 
looking  at  that  pageant. 

"Them  mountings,"  he  said,  "them 
glories.  I  could  n't  leave  'em  fur  any- 
buddy  but  Miss  Am'bel.  I  reckon  I  'd 
leave  heaven  fur  her,  an'  be  happy  er 
doin'  hit.  An'  I  sh'll  learn  ter  paint. 
An'  I  sh'll  come  back  hyar  an'  try  ter 
paint  all  this,"  he  swept  his  hand  round 
from  east  to  west. 

Faithful,  loving  soul  !  If  you  fail  it 
will  not  be  because  you  have  not  aspired. 
You  have  "hitched  your  wagon  to  a 
star." 


THE    END. 


PRINTED   BY   JOHN   WILSON    AND   SON    AT 

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